Reasons to choose Decapeptyl^® (triptorelin)

There are more than 25 years of experience using Decapeptyl^® for prostate cancer treatment in Ireland.¹

Potential benefits of Decapeptyl^® for your practice

Efficacy you can trust

Decapeptyl^® clinical studies have shown that it can produce durable results that maintain castrate testosterone levels in patients with locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer.^2,3

With the 1- and 3-month dosing formulations, Decapeptyl^® has improved lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and the associated quality of life versus baseline.⁴

Prostate volume has also been reduced to a similar extent with Decapeptyl^® versus goserelin and the 1-monthly strength leuprorelin.^5,6

Generally well tolerated

Decapeptyl^® side effects are consistent across all three formulations.^1,7,8
Very common (≥1 in 10) Decapeptyl^® side effects in men have included:^1,7,8

• Decreased libido
• Paraesthesia in lower limbs
• Hot flushes
• Asthenia
• Hyperhidrosis
• Back pain
• Erectile dysfunction

Read more about Decapeptyl^® side effects

Decapeptyl^® prescribing options

Decapeptyl^® gives you the flexibility of offering your prostate cancer patients 6-, 3-, and 1-monthly dosing.^1,7,8
The 6-monthly formulation is designed to deliver 22.5 mg of triptorelin over a 6-month period after a single intramuscular injection.⁸

Adapted from Shulman C, 2007.⁹

Data are from face-to-face interviews (n=200) in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.⁹

The study was conducted in men diagnosed with prostate cancer who were receiving LHRHa treatment.⁹ The survey was carried out before the 6-monthly Decapeptyl^® was available. The majority (79%) of respondents received hormone injections once every 3 months, and a fifth (21%) received injections once every month.⁹

The aim was to: understand the attitudes of patients with prostate cancer toward the disease in general and to the use of hormone therapy as a treatment; assess unmet needs in the management of prostate cancer; gauge patient receptivity to a potential 6-monthly formulation of LHRHa.⁹

Potential benefits of Decapeptyl^® for the health service

Healthcare-patient interactions

The availability of 6-monthly Decapeptyl^® dosing means fewer healthcare-patient interactions for injections versus 1- and 3-monthly dosing, potentially freeing up time for discussing other patient concerns.¹⁰

Save time and resources

Using Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly potentially saves resources and time versus the 1- and 3-monthly LHRHa injection frequencies, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed, real-world, retrospective, multicentre data from the UK-based Decapeptyl SERvice Evaluation (DESERVE) study.*^†10

Adapted from Cornford P et al., 2018.¹⁰

Cost assumptions were correct as of December 2015.

*Cost reduction was based upon the reduction in the total number of patient–healthcare interactions (41.5%; p<0.0001).

^†Cost reduction estimates were reported in pound sterling by Cornford P et al., 2018 and converted to the euro for use in this figure. The currency conversion calculations were based on the closing exchange rate of 1 GBP = 1.1449 EUR,¹¹ reported on the publication date of the DESERVE study (5th November 2018).

Save health service resources with Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly

Switching to Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly from the 1- and 3-monthly LHRHa injection frequencies has the potential to save resources, as demonstrated by data from the Decapeptyl SERvice Evaluation (DESERVE) study.¹⁰

• 41.5% reduction in healthcare-patient interactions (primary endpoint)
  417 interactions pre-switch vs 244 interactions post-switch
• 46.8% reduction in injection and review appointments
  154 appointments pre-switch vs 82 appointments post-switch
• 26.6% reduction in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests*
  109 tests pre-switch vs 80 tests post-switch

All reductions in resources were significant (p<0.0001).

*Control of PSA was maintained in patients who were switched to Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly from the 1- and 3-monthly LHRHa injection frequencies.¹¹ Read more about PSA control in the DESERVE study.

Reduced injection frequency over a patient’s lifetime

See the reduction in injection frequency that can be achieved with Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly.
The graphical representations shown are based on the following assumptions:¹¹

• The average time patients remain on LHRHa therapy is 4.5 years = 1643.5 days (including an extra leap-year day), 234 weeks or 54 months
• Decapeptyl^® 3 mg has a 28-day regimen, Decapeptyl^® 11.25 mg has a 3-monthly regimen, and Decapeptyl^® 22.5 mg has a 24-week regimen

• Decapeptyl^® 3 mg calculation: 1643.5 per 28-day administrations = approx. 59 injections
• Decapeptyl^® 11.25 mg calculation: 54 per 3-monthly administrations = 18 injections
• Decapeptyl^® 22.5 mg calculation: 234 per 24-week administrations = approx. 10 injections

1-monthly injection

3-monthly injection

6-monthly injection

How much can Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly save the health service?

A UK-based study showed that switching to Decapeptyl^® 6-monthly from the 1- and 3-monthly LHRHa injection frequencies may save:*^†10

• €285.24 per patient per year
• €2.85m for every 10,000 patients
• €12.83m per average patient lifetime per 10,000 patients

*Patient-healthcare interaction costs were correct at the time of analysis. The costs do not contain other resource use costs and may vary between primary and secondary care.

^†Hours saved calculations: 73.8 mins x 100 patients / 60 mins = 123 hours; 73.8 mins x 200 patients / 60 mins = 246 hours; 73.8 mins x 300 patients / 60 mins = 369 hours; 73.8 mins x 400 patients / 60 mins = 492 hours; 73.8 mins x 500 patients / 60 mins = 615 hours. €€€ saved calculations: £249.14 x 100 patients = £24,914; £249.14 x 200 patients = £49828; £249.14 x 300 patients = £74,742; £249.14 x 400 patients = £99,656; £249.14 x 500 patients = £124,570. The cost saving of £249.14 per patient per year was reported in the DESERVE study. The output of cost saved calculations reported in this figure was converted from pound sterling to euro. The currency conversion calculations were based on the closing exchange rate of 1 GBP = 1.1449 EUR,11 reported on the publication date of the DESERVE study (5th November 2018).

References

1. https://www.medicines.ie/medicines/decapeptyl-triporelin-sr-31797/spc Decapeptyl^® SR 3 mg Summary of Product Characteristics. Ipsen Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
2. Lundström EA, Rencken RK, van Wyk JH, et al. Triptorelin 6-month formulation in the management of patients with locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer: an open-label, non-comparative, multicentre, phase III study. Clin Drug Investig. 2009;29(12):757–65.
3. Heyns CF, Simonin M-P, Grosgurin P, et al. Comparative efficacy of triptorelin pamoate and leuprolide acetate in men with advanced prostate cancer. BJU Int. 2003;92(3):226–31.
4. Gil T, Aoun F, Cabri P, et al. A prospective, observational grouped analysis to evaluate the effect of triptorelin on lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(3):116–24.
5. Bahl A, Challapalli A, Masson S, et al. A randomised controlled trial to determine the effect of triptorelin on reduction of prostate volume pre-radiotherapy compared with standard therapy (goserelin). Poster presentation at the American Society for Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancer Symposium 2016. Poster 30.
6. Kuhn JM, Abourachid H, Brucher P, et al. A randomized comparison of the clinical and hormonal effects of two GnRH agonists in patients with prostate cancer. Eur Urol. 1997;32(4):397–403.
7. https://www.medicines.ie/medicines/decapeptyl-triptorelin-3-month-31796/spc Decapeptyl^® 11.25 mg Summary of Product Characteristics. Ipsen Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
8. https://www.medicines.ie/medicines/decapeptyl-6-month-22-5mg-31798/spc Decapeptyl^® 22.5 mg Summary of Product Characteristics. Ipsen Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
9. Schulman C. Assessing the attitudes to prostate cancer treatment among European male patients. BJU Int. 2007;100(Suppl1):6–11.
10. Cornford P, Jefferson K, Cole O, Gilbody J. Effects of initiating or switching to a six-monthly triptorelin formulation on prostate cancer patient–healthcare interactions and hospital resource use: a real-world, retrospective, non-interventional study. Oncol Ther. 2018;6(2):173–87.
11. Exchange Rates UK. British Pound (GBP) to Euro (EUR) Historical Exchange Rates on 5th November 2018. Available from: https://www.exchangerates.org.uk/GBP-EUR-05_11_2018-exchange-rate-history.html (Accessed September 2025).