Study to Evaluate if the Addition of r-hLH (Luveris®) to FSH From Day 8 of Ovarian Stimulation is Able to Decrease Total FSH Dose and to Improve Cycle Outcome in Infertile Women Undergoing ART, Who Required High FSH Dose in a Previous Cycle

Launched by MERCK KGAA, DARMSTADT, GERMANY · Feb 18, 2010

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH), which totally lacks LH activity, is widely used to induce multiple follicle development in women under pituitary desensitization, in order to submit them to treatment with assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Clinical experience from hypogonadotropic-hypogonadic women suggests that while FSH alone is sufficient to induce follicle development, LH plays a significant part in final follicle maturation, estrogen synthesis and optimal endometrium growth.

This was a phase III, multicentre, randomized, open-label comparative study to eva...

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Pre-menopausal infertile woman, aged 18 to 40 years inclusive, who wishes to conceive
• • Regular, spontaneous menstrual cycle of 25-35 days
• • Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 28
• • FSH ≤ 10 IU/L (follicular phase, days 2-5)
• • Prolactin (PRL) within the normal ranges
• • Evidence of both ovaries by ultrasound scan
• • Women undergoing IVF-Embryo Transfer (ET) or ICSI, down regulated with Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) (daily dose) under controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) with FSH
• • Washout \> 90 days from last dose of clomiphene or gonadotrophin, before ongoing COH cycle
• • Only one previous IVF-ET or ICSI cycle (in the last 9 months preceding the ongoing COH cycle) resulted in a hypo-response properly documented (from 6 to 12 oocytes with a total FSH dose ≥ 4000 IU)
• • Negative pregnancy hCG test (urine or blood sample) before the ongoing COH cycles
• • Willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study
• • Written informed consent before applying any procedure related to the study protocol, which is not part of routine medical care, with the understanding that consent may be withdrawn by the subject at any time, without prejudice on their future medical care
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Oligo/Anovulatory cycles (World Health Organization \[WHO\] I and II)
• • Male partner azoospermia (assessed within the last 12 months)
• • Follicular phase (day 2-5) FSH \> 10 IU/L even if only once observed in the medical history
• • Abnormal cervical cytology (assessed within the last 12 months)
• • History of unexplained gynecologic hemorrhage
• • Any contraindication to pregnancy
• • Known allergy to gonadotrophin
• • Any clinically important systemic disease (e.g. insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, serious migraine, intermittent purpura, hepatic, renal or cardiovascular disease, serious corticoid-dependent asthma) which constitutes a contraindication to gonadotropin use
• • Any medical condition which, according to the investigator's judgement, may affect the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of the drug. In case of doubt, inclusion of the subject in question should be discussed with the Medical Responsible of Serono
• • Known Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positivity
• • Any substance abuse or history of drugs or alcohol abuse within the past 5 years
• • Prior inclusion in the present study or simultaneous inclusion in a clinical study of another drug
• • Refusal or inability to comply with the protocol