Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists represent a new pharmacological class with several potential clinical indications. Although some of these indications (eg, prostate cancer) are clearly established, others are still in an exploratory phase and await confirmatory clinical trials to prove their clinical value in the treatment of target patients.
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are still investigational indications for GnRH antagonists. Although there have been several successful and hence promising proof-of-concept clinical trials, the conflicting confirmatory data on cetrorelix and lack of clarity on the putative mechanism of action leaves us with work to do before this indication can be declared established. In this short review article, we outline the rationale for the use of GnRH antagonists in LUTS associated with BPH, summarize briefly the available clinical data (phase II and III trials) with the different compounds, touch upon the proposed mechanisms of action, and try to set perspectives for this field of research.
Enrico Colli, László B. Tankó
Submitted September 13, 2010 - Accepted for Publication September 27, 2010
KEYWORDS: GnRH antagonists; Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Mechanisms of action; Clinical trials.
CORRESPONDENCE: Enrico Colli, MD, Head of Urology, Global Clinical R&D, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Kay Fiskers Plads 11, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark ( ).
CITATION: UroToday Int J. 2010 Oct;3(5).
doi:10.3834/uij.1944-5784.2010.10.14