Back to Journals » International Journal of Women's Health » Volume 3

The role of corifollitropin alfa in controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF in combination with GnRH antagonist

Authors Seyhan, Ata B

Published 8 August 2011 Volume 2011:3 Pages 243—255

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S15002

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Ayse Seyhan, Baris Ata
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

Abstract: Corifollitropin alfa is a synthetic recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) molecule containing a hybrid beta subunit, which provides a plasma half-life of 65 hours while maintaining its pharmocodynamic activity. A single injection of corifollitropin alfa can replace daily FSH injections for the first week of ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. Stimulation can be continued with daily FSH injections if the need arises. To date, more than 2500 anticipated normoresponder women have participated in clinical trials with corifollitropin alfa. It is noteworthy that one-third of women did not require additional gonadotropin injections and reached human chorionic gonadotropin criterion on day 8. The optimal corifollitropin dose has been calculated to be 100 µg for women with a body weight ≤ 60 kg and 150 µg for women with a body weight >60 kg, respectively. Combination of corifollitropin with daily gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist injections starting on stimulation day 5 seems to yield similar or significantly higher numbers of oocytes and good quality embryos, as well as similar ongoing pregnancy rates compared with women stimulated with daily rFSH injections. Stimulation characteristics, embryology, and clinical outcomes seem consistent with repeated corifollitropin-stimulated assisted reproductive technologies cycles. Multiple pregnancy or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome rates with corifollitropin were not increased over daily FSH regimen. The corifollitropin alfa molecule does not seem to be immunogenic and does not induce neutralizing antibody formation. Drug hypersensitivity and injection-site reactions are not increased. Incidence and nature of adverse events and serious adverse events are similar to daily FSH injections. Current trials do not provide information regarding use of corifollitropin alfa in anticipated hyper- and poor responders to gonadotropin stimulation. Although corifollitropin alfa is unlikely to be teratogenic, at the moment data on congenital malformations is missing.

Keywords: follicle-stimulating hormone, long acting, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, in vitro fertilization, assisted reproduction

Creative Commons License © 2011 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.