Abarelix is an injectable gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone , also known as Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone and luliberin, is a tropic peptide hormone responsible for the release of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone from the anterior pituitary. GnRH is synthesized and released from neurons within...

 antagonist (GnRH antagonist

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists are a class of compounds that are similar in structure to natural GnRH but that have an antagonistic effect. GnRH antagonists are peptide molecules that are made up multiple, often synthetically produced amino acids...

). It is primarily used in oncology

Oncology

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...

 to reduce the amount of testosterone

Testosterone

Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...

 made in patients with advanced symptomatic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...

 for which no other treatment options are available. It belongs to the family of drugs called Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists are a class of compounds that are similar in structure to natural GnRH but that have an antagonistic effect. GnRH antagonists are peptide molecules that are made up multiple, often synthetically produced amino acids...

s.

It is marketed by Speciality European Pharma as Plenaxis. Plenaxis has received marketing authorisation in Germany.