[Once-a-month injectable microcapsules of leuprorelin acetate]

Yakugaku Zasshi. 1991 Aug;111(8):397-409. doi: 10.1248/yakushi1947.111.8_397.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Leuprorelin (leuprolide, D-Leu6-(des-Gly10-NH2)-LH-RH ethylamide) acetate is a super-active agonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH). We developed once-a-month injectable microcapsules of this agonist by our novel in-water drying method. This depot formulation can release the drug at an apparent zero-order rate over one month with bioerosion of copoly (lactic/glycolic acid) utilized as a wall material of the polycore microcapsules. A dramatic prolonged depression of pituitary-gonadal axis, chemical castration, was achieved by the once-a-month injection in experimental animals; it expects a reliable efficacy for treating hormone-dependent prostatic, breast cancers and endometriosis. Studies on the dosage design of this new delivery system of leuprorelin are summarized.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Capsules
  • Delayed-Action Preparations
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Endometriosis / drug therapy
  • Glycolates
  • Humans
  • Injections
  • Lactates
  • Lactic Acid
  • Leuprolide / administration & dosage*
  • Leuprolide / pharmacokinetics
  • Leuprolide / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymers
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy

Substances

  • Capsules
  • Delayed-Action Preparations
  • Glycolates
  • Lactates
  • Polymers
  • glycolic acid
  • Lactic Acid
  • Leuprolide