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Firmagon (degarelix)
Firmagon works by blocking the action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone on the pituitary gland, which reduces testosterone production.
Firmagon (degarelix) is a small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist developed by FERRING and currently owned by Ferring. It targets the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor to treat advanced prostatic carcinoma. Firmagon was FDA approved in 2008 and is still a patented product. Key safety considerations include its potential to cause injection site reactions and changes in liver function. It has a half-life of 18.6 hours.
At a glance
| Generic name | degarelix |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Ferring |
| Drug class | Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor Antagonist |
| Target | Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 2008 |
Mechanism of action
Think of it like a lock and key. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is the key that unlocks the pituitary gland to produce testosterone. Firmagon is a key that blocks the lock, preventing the hormone from working and reducing testosterone levels.
Approved indications
- Advanced Prostatic Carcinoma
Common side effects
- Prostatic specific antigen increased
- Injection site erythema
- Injection site pain
- Injection site induration
- Injection site swelling
- Product storage error
- Hot flush
- Interstitial lung disease
- Osteonecrosis of jaw
- Injection site cellulitis
- Injection site mass
- Injection site nodule
Drug interactions
- High Risk QT Prolonging Agents
Key clinical trials
- A Phase I/II Study of PDS01ADC With Docetaxel and Abiraterone in Adults With Metastatic Castration Sensitive and PDS01ADC With Docetaxel in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (PHASE1,PHASE2)
- Treatment of High-Risk Prostate Cancer Guided by Novel Diagnostic Radio- and Molecular Tracers (PHASE2,PHASE3)
- Radiotherapy After Prostatectomy for Node Positive Prostate Cancer (PHASE3)
- A Study of BMS986365 in Combination With Degarelix in People With Prostate Cancer (PHASE2)
- Supraphysiologic Testosterone Priming Induces Darolutamide Extended Response (PHASE2)
- NEPC Study: An Exploratory Safety and Efficacy Study With PSMA, SSTR2 and GRPR Targeted Radioligand Therapy in Metastatic Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer. (PHASE1)
- Radiation Therapy With or Without Androgen-Deprivation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer (PHASE3)
- Assessing Efficacy of Neoadjuvant ADT in Localized High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients Utilizing 18F-Flotufolastat PSMA PET/CT (PHASE2)
Patents
| Patent | Expiry | Type |
|---|---|---|
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
| FDA Orange Book | Patents + exclusivity |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Firmagon CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Firmagon updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Ferring portfolio CI