The Development and Use of Deslorelin Implants to Suppress Fertility – A Synopsis and Further Advances

A new long acting form of the GnRH agonist deslorelin was described to this conference in Norway in 2000 and updated in Brazil in 2004. Since then development progress has been steady with the 6 month version, containing 4.7mg deslorelin (Suprelorin 6®; S6) recently approved for sale in Europe. In Australia and New Zealand S6 has been available since 2005 and the longer acting Suprelorin 12® (S12), the 12 month version, containing 9.4mg deslorelin and approved in Australia for 18 months. Both configurations have been used successfully to label, and in various off label indications, and research and development is being undertaken to add to the number of approvals and to extend the indications for the drug. A series of trials were undertaken in more than 270 dogs for single dose use or repeated use of deslorelin for the contraception of dogs. Doses ranged from 3 to 12 mg per animal per dose and the same dose has been repeated up to six times in 10 dogs. These studies have been presented previously (1, 2) as have studies with bitches involving 145 animals (1, 3). Other indications have also been examined including delaying puberty and treating hormone dependant diseases including BPH and anal adenomas. Urinary incontinence, discussed elsewhere at this conference has also been treated by deslorelin (4) and other GnRH agonists. The drug has also been used widely in contraception of wildlife and exotic species worldwide and the treatment of adrenal cortical disease in ferrets. [...]