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Home/Compounds/Degarelix
OtherFDA approvedRx required

Degarelix

Also known as: Firmagon
Brands: Firmagon

GnRH receptor antagonist used for advanced prostate cancer; produces immediate testosterone suppression without initial flare.

A
Grade A
Multiple human RCTs
Human studies27
PubMed citations29
Routesubcutaneous
Regulatory (US)FDA approved · Rx
Last verified2 days ago

Mechanism of action

Synthetic decapeptide GnRH antagonist. Directly and competitively blocks pituitary GnRH receptors, avoiding the initial testosterone surge seen with agonists.

Evidence summary

27
Human studies
29
PubMed citations
25
Clinical trials
A
Evidence grade

Evidence summary in progress. See the citations section below for the underlying research papers.

Dosing protocols

Educational information only. Consult a licensed provider before using any peptide.
Administration routes
subcutaneous

Side effects & safety

From the FDA label
Source
arthralgiaastheniaback painconstipationdiarrheadizzinessfatigueheadacheinsomnianausea

Terms pulled directly from the referenced source. We don't fabricate frequencies — when a label doesn't publish a percentage, we don't either.

Interactions

No documented drug interactions on file.

Regulatory status

United States
FDA approved

FDA approved for advanced prostate cancer (Firmagon)

Compounding
Not permitted

Not available via 503A/503B compounding pharmacies.

Regulatory data last verified 4/19/2026

Clinical trials

NCT02346253A Phase I/II Study of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy as Monotherapy for Prostate CancerActive Not Recruiting · N/A · Prostate Adenocarcinoma · n=146NCT03361735A Phase 2 Trial of Radium Ra 223 Dichloride in Combination With Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Patients With Oligometastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate CancerActive Not Recruiting · Phase 2 · Prostate Adenocarcinoma · n=25NCT04633252A Phase I/II Study of PDS01ADC With Docetaxel and Abiraterone in Adults With Metastatic Castration Sensitive and PDS01ADC With Docetaxel in Castration Resistant Prostate CancerRecruiting · Phase 1 · Cancer Of Prostate · n=86NCT05050084Parallel Phase III Randomized Trials of Genomic-Risk Stratified Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: De-Intensification and Intensification Clinical Trial Evaluation (GUIDANCE)Active Not Recruiting · Phase 3 · Prostate Adenocarcinoma · n=2050NCT04787744Veterans Affairs Seamless Phase II/III Randomized Trial of STAndard Systemic theRapy With or Without PET-directed Local Therapy for OligoRecurrenT Prostate Cancer (VA STARPORT)Recruiting · Phase 2 · Prostate Cancer · n=464NCT04423211Phase III Study of Local or Systemic Therapy INtensification DIrected by PET in Prostate CAncer Patients With Post-ProstaTEctomy Biochemical Recurrence (INDICATE)Recruiting · Phase 3 · Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Carcinoma · n=804NCT04513717Parallel Phase III Randomized Trials for High Risk Prostate Cancer Evaluating De-Intensification for Lower Genomic Risk and Intensification of Concurrent Therapy for Higher Genomic Risk With Radiation (PREDICT-RT*)Active Not Recruiting · Phase 3 · Prostate Adenocarcinoma · n=2753NCT05839119Targeting Androgen Signaling in Urothelial Cell Carcinoma - Neoadjuvant (TASUC-Neo): A Pilot Study of Degarelix in Combination With Neoadjuvant Gemcitabine and Cisplatin in Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Cell Carcinoma of the BladderTerminated · Phase 1 · Urothelial Carcinoma Bladder · n=2NCT06734130A Phase IIA Study of Adaptive Androgen Deprivation and Docetaxel in Metastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate CancerActive Not Recruiting · Phase 2 · Metastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate Cancer · n=25NCT03947151Efficacy and Tolerance of an Ovarian Stimulation Protocol Combining FSH and Degarelix Acetate in Female Candidates for Fertility Preservation Before Chemotherapy for Breast CancerCompleted · Phase 2 · Invasive Ductal Breast Carcinoma · n=8NCT06282588Treatment of High-Risk Prostate Cancer Guided by Novel Diagnostic Radio- and Molecular Tracers (THUNDER): A Two-part Phase 2/ 3 TrialRecruiting · Phase 2 · Prostate Cancer · n=493NCT07477626Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation Therapy Versus Androgen Deprivation Therapy Alone After Prostatectomy for Node Positive Prostate Cancer (RADVAN): A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Phase Ⅲ TrialActive Not Recruiting · Phase 3 · Prostate Cancer (Post Prostatectomy) · n=374

Showing 12 of 25 indexed studies. View all on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Citations

PMID 37408443Taguchi S, Onozawa M et al. · A multicenter, retrospective observational study investigating baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer treated with primary androgen deprivation therapy.Japanese journal of clinical oncology (2026)HumanPMID 39555581Shore ND, Cookson MS et al. · The landscape of androgen deprivation therapies for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.Future oncology (London, England) (2025)HumanPMID 39500846de Moraes FCA, Sano VKT et al. · A systematic review and meta-analysis of cardiovascular disease risk with degarelix and GnRH agonists in prostate cancer.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (2025)HumanPMID 41103953Liu W, Liu Z et al. · Comparing the risk of cardiovascular disease between degarelix and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists:a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology (2025)PMID 40680199Li EV, Ho AY et al. · Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes of Individuals Treated With Androgen Deprivation Therapy.Urology practice (2025)HumanPMID 40189880Hafron J, Hong A et al. · Study of persistence and adherence to ADT in prostate cancer: relugolix, degarelix, and GnRH agonists in the US.Future oncology (London, England) (2025)HumanPMID 40776862Lazo A, Blanco M et al. · GnRH Antagonists: Current Evidence and Role in Prostate Cancer.Archivos espanoles de urologia (2025)HumanPMID 39433139Li J, Gao J et al. · Degarelix limits the survival of mycobacteria and granuloma formation.Microbial pathogenesis (2024)HumanPMID 38451492Spratt DE, George DJ et al. · Efficacy and Safety of Radiotherapy Plus Relugolix in Men With Localized or Advanced Prostate Cancer.JAMA oncology (2024)HumanPMID 38763154Parker CC, Clarke NW et al. · Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial.Lancet (London, England) (2024)HumanPMID 38104552Vaiana AM, Asher AM et al. · Vortioxetine Reverses Impairment of Visuospatial Memory and Cognitive Flexibility Induced by Degarelix as a Model of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Rats.Neuroendocrinology (2024)HumanPMID 39003108Preston MA, Ebrahimi R et al. · Risk of cardiovascular events following intermittent and continuous androgen deprivation therapy in patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer.Urologic oncology (2024)HumanPMID 39269310Dallos MC, Obradovic AZ et al. · Androgen Deprivation Therapy Drives a Distinct Immune Phenotype in Localized Prostate Cancer.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (2024)HumanPMID 36167599Devos G, Tosco L et al. · ARNEO: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant Degarelix with or Without Apalutamide Prior to Radical Prostatectomy for High-risk Prostate Cancer.European urology (2023)HumanPMID 36862086Chaudagar K, Hieromnimon HM et al. · Reversal of Lactate and PD-1-mediated Macrophage Immunosuppression Controls Growth of PTEN/p53-deficient Prostate Cancer.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (2023)HumanPMID 35108137Yu EM, Aragon-Ching JB · Advances with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy (2022)HumanPMID 34570375Teoh JY, Tian XY et al. · Endothelial dysfunction after androgen deprivation therapy and the possible underlying mechanisms.The Prostate (2022)PMID 34459214Lopes RD, Higano CS et al. · Cardiovascular Safety of Degarelix Versus Leuprolide in Patients With Prostate Cancer: The Primary Results of the PRONOUNCE Randomized Trial.Circulation (2021)HumanPMID 32655041Freedland SJ, Abrahamsson PA · Androgen deprivation therapy and side effects: are GnRH antagonists safer?Asian journal of andrology (2021)HumanPMID 27364704Secin FP · Questionable oncologic benefits of degarelix.Urologic oncology (2018)Human

Showing 20 of 29 papers. View all on PubMed →