Sun Pharma has launched Lupride Depot IM, the once a month anticancer preparation for the first time in India. Each ampoule of Lupride Depot contains 3.75mg of lupreolide acetate incorporated in a special biodegradable microsphere in a lyophilized form. Scientists at the company's R&D center, SPARC, have designed this Depot formulation.

Each ampoule of Lupride Depot is priced at Rs 3,490 per ampoule, as against the imported brand available at prices starting from Rs 7,000 per ampoule. The stocks are made available at major distribution points and prescriptions serviced.

Lupride Depot is used in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer and in the treatment of gynecological ailments such as fibroids and endometriosis. Internationally, the medication in Lupride, lupreolide, is also being studied in downregulation protocols in infertility treatments with good acceptance. Another interesting indication being studied is the treatment of breast cancer in premenopausal women.

Medicines that are protein/peptide in nature need to be repeatedly injected over a long period (similar to the body's production of these proteins/peptides). This novel drug delivery system, a once a month preparation, has been designed to offer better patient compliance, convenience and sustained blood levels for such frequently administered drugs.

In this delivery system, the peptide drug lupreolide has been incorporated in biodegradable polymer. The degradation of the polymer controls the release of the medication, hence fairly consistent blood levels of the drug are maintained over a 4 week period.

Lupride Depot belongs to a class of medicines called "gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa)". Through a complex feedback mechanism, Lupride shuts down the production of the hormone testosterone, the primary stimulus for hormone dependant prostrate cancer cells in men. In women with endometriosis/fibroids Lupride induces a menopause- like condition by stopping the production of estrogen that prompt extraneous tissue growth.

In the US, about 2 lac cases of prostrate cancer are diagnosed every year. According to the Bombay Cancer registry, every year about 6,600 new cases are diagnosed. About 40,000 men suffer from prostate cancer, taking a 10-year survival period. Lupride Depot offers an effective alternative to orchiectomy (surgical removal of the testes) which can have a profound psychosocial impact on the patient. The gynec condition, endometriosis, is woefully under-diagnosed and is one of the leading causes of infertility. On a conservative estimate, 1 of every 10 patients visiting a gynecologist suffers from moderate/severe endometriosis. GnRH analogs like Lupride Depot are the first choice drug therapy to treat this repetitive, life disrupting painful condition.

"Lupride Depot, with its convenience/compliance advantage is an important introduction", said Dilip Shanghvi, CMD. "In prostate cancer and endometriosis, the drug is an effective alternative to painful surgical procedures. Lupride Depot will help us better address the needs of patients in oncology and gynecology."