What is Degarelix?

A GnRH antagonist injection (Firmagon) for advanced prostate cancer that lowers testosterone within days without the initial surge seen with agonists.

Degarelix in the library · · Human Trials · What are peptides?

144 registered trials · 65 indexed papers · 33 human / 2 animal studies

From the PeptideWhiz library entry. "As described" sections summarize claims made in the sources; they are not PeptideWhiz endorsements.

What it is

Degarelix is described as a synthetic decapeptide GnRH-receptor antagonist. Cetrorelix has its own page.

Mechanism (as described)

  • It blocks pituitary GnRH receptors, quickly reducing LH, FSH and testosterone.

Evidence (as described)

  • A 12-month phase 3 trial showed testosterone suppression comparable to leuprolide (Klotz et al., 2008). The PRONOUNCE trial compared cardiovascular safety with leuprolide (Lopes et al., 2021).

Status

FDA-approved (2008) for advanced prostate cancer.

Registered human trials (144)

TrialPhaseStatusYearEnrolled
Evaluating Hormone Therapy to Achieve Optimal Doses in Metastatic Prostate CancerPhase 3recruiting20261500
Short Course ADT for High Risk Low/Intermediate Risk ARTERA Prostate CancerPhase 2recruiting202690
Assessing Efficacy of Neoadjuvant ADT in Localized High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients Utilizing 18F-Flotufolastat PSMA PET/CTPhase 2recruiting202650
Supraphysiologic Testosterone Priming Induces Darolutamide Extended ResponsePhase 2recruiting202660
A Study of BMS986365 in Combination With Degarelix in People With Prostate CancerPhase 2active not recruiting20267
The COSMYC Trial (COmbined Suppression of MYC)Phase 2recruiting202550
Adaptive Androgen Deprivation and Docetaxel in Metastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate CancerPhase 2active not recruiting202525
Pembrolizumab With Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With High Risk Localized Prostate CancerPhase 2withdrawn2025
Presurgical Phase II Study of Talazoparib in Combination With Enzalutamide in Prostate CancerPhase 2recruiting202530
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Plus Immediate or Delayed Androgen Receptor Pathway Inhibitor and Androgen Deprivation Therapy or Salvage Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer, DIVINE TrialPhase 2recruiting2024532
ADT and SBRT vs SBRT Alone for Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate CancerPhase 2recruiting2024392
Study of Radiation Therapy in Combination With Darolutamide + Degarelix in Intermediate Risk Prostate CancerPhase 2not yet recruiting2024208
NeoAdjuvant Theranostic Lutetium Study: The Nautilus TrialPhase 1/Phase 2recruiting20246
A Study of Copanlisib in Combination with Degarelix in People with Prostate CancerPhase 1/Phase 2withdrawn2024
Cardiometabolic Consequences of the Loss of Ovarian FunctionPhase 4recruiting2024100
Neo-DAB: Darolutamide and Abemaciclib in Prostate CancerPhase 1terminated20239
Treatment of High-Risk Prostate Cancer Guided by Novel Diagnostic Radio- and Molecular TracersPhase 2/Phase 3recruiting2023493
Real World Evidence Study on Metastatic Prostate Cancer in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District in Finlandcompleted20231083
Difluoromethylornithine and High Dose Testosterone With Enzalutamide in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate CancerPhase 2recruiting202350
ETHAN - ET for Male BCPhase 2recruiting202360
Targeting Androgen Signaling in Urothelial Cell Carcinoma - NeoadjuvantPhase 1terminated20232
Neoadjuvant ADT With TULSA in the Treatment of Intermediate Risk Prostate CancerPhase 1active not recruiting202315
First Strike, Second Strike Therapies for High Risk Metastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate CancerPhase 2active not recruiting202232
Enhanced Systemic Combined With Local Treatment for Primary and Metastatic Lesions in Oligo-metastatic Prostate CancerPhase 2unknown2022160
Prostate Medication, Metabolism and Gut MicrobiotaPhase 4recruiting2022100
Veterans Affairs Seamless Phase II/III Randomized Trial of STAndard Systemic theRapy With or Without PET-directed Local Therapy for Oligometastatic pRosTate CancerPhase 2/Phase 3active not recruiting2021378
Two Studies for Patients With High Risk Prostate Cancer Testing Less Intense Treatment for Patients With a Low Gene Risk Score and Testing a More Intense Treatment for Patients With a High Gene Risk Score, The PREDICT-RT TrialPhase 3active not recruiting20212753
Two Studies for Patients With Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer Testing Less Intense Treatment for Patients With a Low Gene Risk Score and Testing a More Intense Treatment for Patients With a Higher Gene Risk Score, The Guidance TrialPhase 3active not recruiting20212050
A Clinical Study Evaluating The Benefit of Adding Rucaparib to Enzalutamide for Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Has Become Resistant To Testosterone-Deprivation TherapyPhase 3active not recruiting202161
Talazoparib With Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Abiraterone for the Treatment of Castration Sensitive Prostate CancerPhase 2recruiting202170
Androgen Deprivation, With or Without pTVG-AR, and With or Without T-Cell Checkpoint Blockade, in Patients With Newly Diagnosed, High-Risk Prostate CancerPhase 1/Phase 2active not recruiting202157
Ovarian Hormone Regulation of Central and Cerebrovascular Hemodynamics (NoMEN Study)Phase 4active not recruiting202155
Treating Prostate Cancer That Has Come Back After Surgery With Apalutamide and Targeted Radiation Based on PET ImagingPhase 3recruiting2020804
Nivolumab + Docetaxel + ADT in mHSPC Patients With DDRD or Inflamed TumorsPhase 2active not recruiting202047
Androgen Deprivation Therapy on Bone Mineral Density Change in Prostate Cancer PatientsPhase 4unknown2020164
Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Apalutamide With or Without Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer, RESTART StudyPhase 2withdrawn2020
Cardiovascular Events in GnRH Agonist vs. AntagonistPhase 2unknown202080
Influence of Hormone Treatment in Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancerunknown202060
Non-fucosylated Anti-CTLA-4 (BMS-986218) + Degarelix Acetate vs. Degarelix Acetate Alone in Men With High-risk Localized Prostate CancerEARLY_Phase 1completed202026
Hormonal Intervention for the Treatment in Veterans With COVID-19 Requiring HospitalizationPhase 2completed202096

Peer-reviewed studies (65)

PaperAuthorsJournalYearType
Effect of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy on prostate and tumor morphology prior to MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation of prostate cancerVirtanen I et al.International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group2026Clinical Trial, Phase I
Resting state functional connectivity in paedophilic disorder and degarelix treatmentAndersson L et al.Acta neuropsychiatrica2026Randomized Controlled Trial
Androgen deprivation, androgen receptor-targeted vaccination, and nivolumab in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancerJarrard D et al.Journal for immunotherapy of cancer2026Randomized Controlled Trial
Final Results of the Randomised Phase 2 Trial of Neoadjuvant Degarelix with or Without Apalutamide Prior to Radical Prostatectomy for High-risk Prostate Cancer (ARNEO)Giesen A et al.European urology oncology2026Randomized Controlled Trial
Relationship between [(18)F]PSMA-1007 PET parameters and biochemical recurrence-free survival in high-risk prostate cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant hormonal treatmentAhmadi Bidakhvidi N et al.European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging2026Randomized Controlled Trial
Radiotherapy plus Long-term Adjuvant Androgen Deprivation with a Luteinizing Hormone-releasing Hormone Antagonist Versus Agonist in Patients with Very High-risk Localized or Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer: The EORTC GUCG-1414 Phase 3 Randomized TrialZilli T et al.European urology oncology2025Randomized Controlled Trial
Cambridge Neoadjuvant Cancer of the Prostate (CANCAP03): A Window Study into the Effects of Olaparib ± Degarelix in Primary Prostate CancerDev H et al.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research2025Randomized Controlled Trial
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 trialParker CC et al.Lancet (London, England)2024Randomized Controlled Trial
Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trialParker CC et al.Lancet (London, England)2024Randomized Controlled Trial
Relationship between circulating FSH levels and body composition and bone health in patients with prostate cancer who undergo androgen deprivation therapy: The BLADE studyBergamini M et al.eLife2024Clinical Trial, Phase IV
Efficacy and Safety of Radiotherapy Plus Relugolix in Men With Localized or Advanced Prostate CancerSpratt DE et al.JAMA oncology2024Randomized Controlled Trial
Testosterone castration levels in patients with prostate cancer: Is there a difference between GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist? Primary results of an open-label randomized control studyMytilekas VK et al.Investigative and clinical urology2023Randomized Controlled Trial
Changes in bone and mineral homeostasis after short-term androgen deprivation therapy with or without androgen receptor signalling inhibitor - substudy of a single-centre, double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trialDavid K et al.EBioMedicine2023Randomized Controlled Trial
A Phase I Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety and Dosing of Relugolix with Novel Hormonal Therapy for the Treatment of Advanced Prostate CancerDe La Cerda J et al.Targeted oncology2023Clinical Trial, Phase I
Comparison of Quality of Life and Injection Site Reactions After Switching from Degarelix [amount hidden] to [amount hidden] in Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Prospective TrialMiyajima K et al.Anticancer research2023Clinical Trial
ARNEO: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant Degarelix with or Without Apalutamide Prior to Radical Prostatectomy for High-risk Prostate CancerDevos G et al.European urology2023Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of Androgen Suppression on Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Men With COVID-19: The HITCH Randomized Clinical TrialNickols NG et al.JAMA network open2022Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of testosterone suppression on desire, hypersexuality, and sexual interest in children in men with pedophilic disorderLandgren V et al.The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry2022Randomized Controlled Trial
Differences in sex hormone recovery profile after cessation of 12-week gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist versus agonist therapySasaki H et al.Andrology2022Randomized Controlled Trial
Cardiovascular Safety of Degarelix Versus Leuprolide in Patients With Prostate Cancer: The Primary Results of the PRONOUNCE Randomized TrialLopes RD et al.Circulation2021Randomized Controlled Trial
Loss of SNAI2 in Prostate Cancer Correlates With Clinical Response to Androgen Deprivation TherapyCmero M et al.JCO precision oncology2021Clinical Trial, Phase II
Changes in body composition and lipid profile in prostate cancer patients without bone metastases given Degarelix treatment: the BLADE prospective cohort studyPalumbo C et al.Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases2021Clinical Trial, Phase IV
Degarelix as a neoadjuvant hormonal therapy for acute urinary tract toxicity associated with external beam radiotherapy for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer: a propensity score matched analysisHata S et al.Japanese journal of clinical oncology2021Clinical Trial
Effect of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Antagonist on Risk of Committing Child Sexual Abuse in Men With Pedophilic Disorder: A Randomized Clinical TrialLandgren V et al.JAMA psychiatry2020Randomized Controlled Trial
The Oral Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Receptor Antagonist Relugolix as Neoadjuvant/Adjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy to External Beam Radiotherapy in Patients with Localised Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer: A Randomised, Open-label, Parallel-group Phase 2 TrialDearnaley DP et al.European urology2020Randomized Controlled Trial
Prospective study on the effect of short-term androgen deprivation therapy on PSMA uptake evaluated with (68)Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI in men with treatment-naïve prostate cancerEttala O et al.European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging2020Clinical Trial
Metabolic changes with degarelix vs leuprolide plus bicalutamide in patients with prostate cancer: a randomized clinical studySawazaki H et al.World journal of urology2020Randomized Controlled Trial
Neoadjuvant Degarelix Versus Triptorelin in Premenopausal Patients Who Receive Letrozole for Locally Advanced Endocrine-Responsive Breast Cancer: A Randomized Phase II TrialDellapasqua S et al.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology2019Randomized Controlled Trial
FSH suppression and tumour control in patients with prostate cancer during androgen deprivation with a GnRH agonist or antagonistCrawford ED et al.Scandinavian journal of urology2018Randomized Controlled Trial
Aromatized Estrogens Amplify Nocturnal Growth Hormone Secretion in Testosterone-Replaced Older Hypogonadal MenRoelfsema F et al.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2018Randomized Controlled Trial

More cited research

Conditions researched

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FAQ

How many registered human trials study Degarelix?

The PeptideWhiz trial index lists 144 registered trials for Degarelix, the most recent from 2026.

How much published research exists on Degarelix?

The PeptideWhiz paper index links 65 PubMed papers to Degarelix; by study type, 33 human and 2 animal studies.

Which conditions is Degarelix researched for?

Anti-aging & longevity, Atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease & high blood pressure, Dementia, Alzheimer's & cognitive decline, Endometriosis, Fat loss, obesity & body recomposition, Female fertility, Immune system (general), Menopause & perimenopause, PCOS, Post-surgical inflammation and surgery recovery, Pregnancy and breastfeeding: safety notes, Prostate inflammation.

Research and education only. Not medical advice. No dosing guidance. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov registry and PubMed via the PeptideWhiz index (204,289 studies).

Reported dosing ranges from research