Three-month sustained-release form of triptorelin in patients with advanced prostatic adenocarcinoma: results of an open pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic multicenter study.

The pharmacodynamics and the pharmacokinetic characteristics of a new longer-acting formulation containing 11.25 mg of triptorelin (Decapeptyl) to be administered every 3 months were evaluated in 14 patients with advanced prostate carcinoma. After one single injection, the mean time to reach the surgical castration testosterone range is 22 days, and this effective testosterone suppression is maintained for the 3-month therapy. After a first plasma surge (35.70 ng/ml) occurring 2.5 h after injection and a rise between day 17 and day 31 (maximum on day 24: 0.32 ng/ml), the mean triptorelin plasma level is stable (0.06 +/- 0.05 ng/ml) and maintained until day 91. This new formulation was well tolerated both locally and systemically.