Casodex: preclinical studies.

Abstract

Antiandrogens are effective drugs in the treatment of advanced prostatic cancer. The main problems associated with their use are their short half-lives, leading to fluctuating serum levels, and their non-selectivity, which leads to increases in serum LH and testosterone through centrally-mediated actions. Casodex is a pure, potent antiandrogen which, in pre-clinical studies, has been shown to have a long half-life and a high degree of peripheral selectivity. Casodex is as effective as surgical castration or medical castration with Zoladex in inhibiting the growth of a transplantable Dunning prostate tumor in rats. These properties suggest that Casodex, given once daily, would be an effective and well-tolerated monotherapy for advanced prostatic cancer.