Goserelin

{{Short description|Chemical compound}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Drugbox | Verifiedfields = changed | Watchedfields = changed | verifiedrevid = 459437828 | image = Goserelin.svg | image_class = skin-invert-image | width = 250 | image2 = Goserelin ball-and-stick.png | image_class2 = bg-transparent | width2 = 250

| tradename = Zoladex, others | Drugs.com = {{drugs.com|monograph|zoladex}} | MedlinePlus = a601002 | pregnancy_category = | routes_of_administration = Implant | class = GnRH analogue; GnRH agonist; Antigonadotropin | ATC_prefix = L02 | ATC_suffix = AE03

| legal_CA = Rx-only | legal_CA_comment = <ref>{{cite web | title=Product monograph brand safety updates | website=Health Canada | date=6 June 2024 | url=https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database/label-safety-assessment-update/product-monograph-brand-safety-updates.html | access-date=8 June 2024}}</ref> | legal_status = Rx-only

| IUPHAR_ligand = 3879 | CAS_number_Ref = {{cascite|correct|??}} | CAS_number = 65807-02-5 | PubChem = 5311128 | DrugBank_Ref = {{drugbankcite|correct|drugbank}} | DrugBank = DB00014 | ChemSpiderID_Ref = {{chemspidercite|correct|chemspider}} | ChemSpiderID = 4470656 | UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}} | UNII = 0F65R8P09N | KEGG_Ref = {{keggcite|correct|kegg}} | KEGG = D04405 | ChEMBL_Ref = {{ebicite|changed|EBI}} | ChEMBL = 1201247 | ChEBI_Ref = {{ebicite|changed|EBI}} | ChEBI = 5523 | synonyms = D-Ser(But)6Azgly10-GnRH

| IUPAC_name = N-(21-((1H-indol-3-yl)methyl)-1,1-diamino-12-(tert-butoxymethyl)-6-(2-(2-carbamoylhydrazinecarbonyl)cyclopentanecarbonyl)-15-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-18-(hydroxymethyl)-25-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)-9-isobutyl-8,11,14,17,20,23-hexaoxo-2,7,10,13,16,19,22-heptaazapentacos-1-en-24-yl)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxamide | C=59 | H=84 | N=18 | O=14 | SMILES = CC(C)C[C@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](COC(C)(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](Cc1ccc(O)cc1)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H](Cc1c[nH]c2ccccc12)NC(=O)[C@H](Cc1cnc[nH]1)NC(=O)[C@@H]1CCC(=O)N1)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCN=C(N)N)C(=O)N1CCC[C@H]1C(=O)NNC(N)=O | StdInChI_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}} | StdInChI = 1S/C59H84N18O14/c1-31(2)22-40(49(82)68-39(12-8-20-64-57(60)61)56(89)77-21-9-13-46(77)55(88)75-76-58(62)90)69-54(87)45(29-91-59(3,4)5)74-50(83)41(23-32-14-16-35(79)17-15-32)70-53(86)44(28-78)73-51(84)42(24-33-26-65-37-11-7-6-10-36(33)37)71-52(85)43(25-34-27-63-30-66-34)72-48(81)38-18-19-47(80)67-38/h6-7,10-11,14-17,26-27,30-31,38-46,65,78-79H,8-9,12-13,18-25,28-29H2,1-5H3,(H,63,66)(H,67,80)(H,68,82)(H,69,87)(H,70,86)(H,71,85)(H,72,81)(H,73,84)(H,74,83)(H,75,88)(H4,60,61,64)(H3,62,76,90)/t38-,39-,40-,41-,42-,43-,44-,45+,46-/m0/s1 | StdInChIKey_Ref = {{stdinchicite|correct|chemspider}} | StdInChIKey = BLCLNMBMMGCOAS-URPVMXJPSA-N }}

'''Goserelin''', sold under the brand name '''Zoladex''' among others, is a medication which is used to suppress production of the sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen), particularly in the treatment of breast cancer and prostate cancer.<ref name="CRCPress">{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Organic Compounds|year = 1996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x2Su3GKCvtsC&pg=PA3372|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-0-412-54090-5|pages=3372–}}</ref><ref name="MortonHall2012">{{cite book| vauthors = Morton IK, Hall JM |title=Concise Dictionary of Pharmacological Agents: Properties and Synonyms|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tsjrCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA136|date=6 December 2012|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-94-011-4439-1|pages=136–}}</ref> It is an injectable gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist).

Structurally, it is a decapeptide. It is the natural GnRH decapeptide with two substitutions to inhibit rapid degradation.

Goserelin stimulates the production of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen in a non-pulsatile (non-physiological) manner. This causes the disruption of the endogenous hormonal feedback systems, resulting in the down-regulation of testosterone and estrogen production.

It was patented in 1976 and approved for medical use in 1987.<ref name=Fis2006>{{cite book | vauthors = Fischer J, Ganellin CR |title=Analogue-based Drug Discovery |date=2006 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=9783527607495 |page=514 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FjKfqkaKkAAC&pg=PA514 |language=en}}</ref> Goserelin is a therapeutic alternative on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.<ref name="WHO24th">{{cite book | vauthors = ((World Health Organization)) | title = The selection and use of essential medicines, 2025: WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list | year = 2025 | hdl = 10665/382243 | author-link = World Health Organization | publisher = World Health Organization | location = Geneva | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

==Medical uses== thumb|left|220px|10.8mg implant syringe

Goserelin is used to treat hormone-sensitive cancers of the breast (in pre- and peri-menopausal women) and prostate, and some benign gynaecological disorders (endometriosis, uterine fibroids and endometrial thinning). In addition, goserelin is used in assisted reproduction and in the treatment of precocious puberty. It may also be used in the treatment of male-to-female transgender people.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dittrich R, Binder H, Cupisti S, Hoffmann I, Beckmann MW, Mueller A | title = Endocrine treatment of male-to-female transsexuals using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist | journal = Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes | volume = 113 | issue = 10 | pages = 586–92 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16320157 | doi = 10.1055/s-2005-865900 }}</ref>

==Side effects== Goserelin may cause bone pain, hot flashes, headache, stomach upset, depression, difficulty urinating (isolated cases), weight gain, swelling and tenderness of breasts (infrequent), decreased erections and reduced sexual desire. Bone pain can be managed symptomatically, and erectile dysfunction can be treated by vardenafil (Levitra) or other similar oral therapies, although they will not treat the reduced sexual desire. The rates of gynecomastia with goserelin have been found to range from 1 to 5%.<ref name="pmid16321765">{{cite journal | vauthors = Di Lorenzo G, Autorino R, Perdonà S, De Placido S | title = Management of gynaecomastia in patients with prostate cancer: a systematic review | journal = The Lancet. Oncology | volume = 6 | issue = 12 | pages = 972–979 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16321765 | doi = 10.1016/S1470-2045(05)70464-2 }}</ref>

Short-term memory impairment has also been reported in women and may in some cases be severe, but this effect disappears gradually once treatment is discontinued.<ref>{{cite conference | vauthors = Newton CR, Yuzpe AA, Timmon IS, Slota MD | title = Memory complaints: a side effect of continued exposure to gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa). | conference = Conjoint Annual Meetings of the American Fertility Society and the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society | date = October 1993 | location = Montreal, Canada }}</ref><ref name="pmid8425646">{{cite journal | vauthors = Friedman AJ, Juneau-Norcross M, Rein MS | title = Adverse effects of leuprolide acetate depot treatment | journal = Fertility and Sterility | volume = 59 | issue = 2 | pages = 448–50 | date = February 1993 | pmid = 8425646 | doi = 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)55701-x }}</ref>

==Pharmacology== Goserelin is a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Bioavailability is almost complete by injection. Goserelin is poorly protein-bound and has a serum elimination half-life of two to four hours in patients with normal renal function. The half-life increases with patients with impaired renal function. There is no significant change in pharmacokinetics in subjects with liver failure. After administration, peak serum concentrations are reached in about two hours. It rapidly binds to the GnRH receptor cells in the pituitary gland thus leading to an initial increase in production of luteinizing hormone and thus leading to an initial increase in the production of corresponding sex hormones. This initial flare may be treated by co-prescribing/co-administering an androgen receptor antagonist such as bicalutamide (Casodex). Eventually, after a period of about 14–21 days, production of LH is greatly reduced due to receptor downregulation, and sex hormones are generally reduced to castrate levels.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kotake T, Usami M, Akaza H, Koiso K, Homma Y, Kawabe K, Aso Y, Orikasa S, Shimazaki J, Isaka S, Yoshida O, Hirao Y, Okajima E, Naito S, Kumazawa J, Kanetake H, Saito Y, Ohi Y, Ohashi Y | display-authors = 6 | title = Goserelin acetate with or without antiandrogen or estrogen in the treatment of patients with advanced prostate cancer: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial in Japan. Zoladex Study Group | journal = Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology | volume = 29 | issue = 11 | pages = 562–570 | date = November 1999 | pmid = 10678560 | doi = 10.1093/jjco/29.11.562 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

== Chemistry == {{Expand section|small=no|date=April 2026}} Goserelin is a GnRH analogue and decapeptide. It is provided as the acetate salt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PubChem |title=Goserelin Acetate |url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/16052011 |access-date=27 January 2025 |website=pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |language=en}}</ref>

==Society and culture==

=== Names === {{Expand section|small=no|date=April 2026}} ''Goserelin'' is the generic name<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fertilan {{!}} C61H88N18O16 |url=https://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.10482272.html |access-date=27 January 2025 |website=www.chemspider.com}}</ref> of the drug and its {{abbrlink|INN|International Nonproprietary Name}}, {{abbrlink|USAN|United States Adopted Name}}, and {{abbrlink|BAN|British Approved Name}}.

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Drugs developed by AstraZeneca Category:Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists Category:Decapeptides Category:Feminizing hormone therapy Category:World Health Organization essential medicines