FDA Approves 6-Month Dose of Leuprolide

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a six-month dose of the drug leuprolide acetate (in depot suspension form - Lupron Depot).  Leuprolide had already been approved for 1, 3, and 4-month dosages.

Leuprolide is a commonly-prescribed medication used to slow down or halt the growth and spread of prostate cancer by blocking the production of testosterone.  The new formulation was approved after a recent study showed that a 6-month dose resulted in equally effective testosterone suppression as the previously-approved shorter courses.