Degarelix 120mg powder and solvent for solution for injection vials

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of degarelix and GnRH agonists in prostate cancer treatment. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was carried out using PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. RevMan 5.3 software was applied to conduct the meta-analysis. RESULTS: = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: While degarelix is associated with higher overall AE rates, it provides significant benefits in terms of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal safety, rapid testosterone suppression, and lower urinary AEs.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, is a serious health hazard, characterized by tuberculous granuloma formation, which may facilitate bacterial survival. At the same time, the identification of multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant Mtb strains, and the progressive accumulation of mutations in biological targets of frontline antimicrobials, has made TB treatments more difficult. Therefore, new and rapid drug development for TB is warranted. Recently, drug repurposing has received considerable attention. In this study, we applied the anticancer drug degarelix to anti-TB research and found that it inhibits mycobacteria survival and pathological damage in Mycobacterium marinum -infected zebrafish and Mtb-infected mice. Supplementation of degarelix matched the bactericidal activities of rifampicin (RFP) toward M. marinum in zebrafish. Mechanistically, degarelix significantly increased interferon (IFN)-γ levels in M. marinum -infected zebrafish. Degarelix had no direct anti-mycobacterial activity in vitro but significantly reduced the survival of H37Rv in macrophages. The effect of degarelix could be reversed by 3-methyladenine (3-MA), which inhibits the class III phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3 kinase required for autophagy initiation. However, no effect on later steps in autophagy could be detected. Our findings demonstrate the potential of degarelix on limiting mycobacterial survival and granuloma formation, which may generate novel TB therapeutics. • Degarelix limits the survival of mycobacteria and granuloma formation. • Degarelix increases interferon-γ levels in M. marinum -infected zebrafish. • Degarelix reduces the survival of Mtb in macrophages. • Degarelix may inhibit intracellular Mtb survival by a mechanism sensitive to PI3 kinase inhibition.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Background Prostate cancer holds a substantial presence in the global cancer landscape, and a considerable proportion of diagnoses occur at late stages, particularly in India. Management of locally advanced prostate cancer necessitates a multimodal treatment strategy. A critical part of this strategy is neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy, typically administered via luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs. This study explores the potential of an alternative approach: neoadjuvant therapy with degarelix, an LHRH antagonist, and its impact on perioperative and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer. Methodology We conducted a retrospective, non-randomized clinical study at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, India. Patients diagnosed with locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy were included. Participants were patients treated with neoadjuvant degarelix and subsequent radical prostatectomy between March 2020 and June 2022. We excluded patients receiving radical radiotherapy, those switching from LHRH agonists to antagonists, and those contraindicated for androgen deprivation therapy due to existing comorbidities. For comparison, we selected a group from the institutional database who received conventional treatment (i.e., without neoadjuvant therapy). Results The study compared two groups, each with 32 patients. The groups had no significant difference in total operative duration and console times. The postoperative pathological assessment showed significantly lower margin positivity rates and notable pathological downstaging in the group receiving neoadjuvant degarelix compared to the control group. The incidence of node positivity, prostate-specific antigen levels at three months postoperative, and number of pads used per day at one month did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions Our study suggests that neoadjuvant degarelix could notably enhance patient outcomes in locally advanced prostate cancer management. The benefits include improved symptom control, significant reductions in margin positivity rates, and facilitated surgical procedures. Neoadjuvant degarelix therapy could potentially enhance the feasibility of the surgical intervention in locally advanced prostate cancer management, thus suggesting a promising pathway for improved patient care.

Abstract licence: CC BY