Gonadotropins and their analogues: current and potential clinical applications.

Gonadotropins and their analogues: current and potential clinical applications. Endocr Rev. 2018 Jul 02;: Authors: Anderson RC, Newton CL, Anderson RA, Millar RP Abstract The gonadotropin receptors, luteinising hormone receptor, and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, play a central role in governing reproductive competency/fertility. Gonadotropin hormone analogues have been utilised clinically for decades, in assisted reproductive therapies, and in the treatment of various infertility disorders. While these treatments are effective, the clinical protocols demand multiple injections, and the hormone preparations can lack uniformity and stability. The past two decades have seen a drive to develop chimeric and modified peptide analogues with more desirable pharmacokinetic profiles with some displaying clinical efficacy, such as corifollitropin alfa which is now in clinical use. More recently, low molecular weight orally-active molecules with activity at gonadotropin receptors have been developed. Some have excellent characteristics in animals and in human studies but have not reached the market: largely due to acquisitions by large pharma. Nonetheless such molecules have the potential to mitigate risks currently associated with gonadotropin-based fertility treatments such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and the demands of injection-based therapies. There is also scope for novel utilisation beyond the current remit of gonadotrop...
Source: Endocrine Reviews - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Endocr Rev Source Type: research