Medicus Pharma is advancing Teverelix, a recently acquired, clinical stage asset, designed to address limitations of current hormone therapies for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Teverelix is a next generation GnRH antagonist being developed to offer a differentiated profile in both oncology and urology.
In a recent interview, Dr. Faisal Mehmud, Chief Medical Officer at Medicus Pharma Ltd, highlighted the need for improved treatment options.
“Despite decades of progress, current therapies to reduce testosterone still pose risks; particularly cardiovascular complications related to the initial testosterone flare and incomplete FSH suppression,” he said.
Teverelix aims to offer rapid, flare free hormone suppression, with sustained reductions in testosterone, LH, and FSH, hormones increasingly linked to cardiovascular health. Notably, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in men with prostate cancer, including those receiving long term androgen deprivation therapy.
Teverelix is a long-acting injectable depot, administered every six weeks via subcutaneous or intramuscular routes. Compared to other GnRH antagonists, it avoids the higher-grade injection site reactions seen with Degarelix and the adherence challenges of daily oral therapies like Relugolix.
“Teverelix is well tolerated and shows more consistent and deeper FSH suppression than GnRH agonists” Dr. Mehmud added. “That may be relevant for cardiovascular outcomes”
More than 400 patients have received Teverelix in clinical studies to date. Data show rapid hormone suppression, favorable safety, and symptom relief in urologic settings, including reductions in prostate volume which indicates potential for the prevention of acute urinary retention recurrence.
Looking ahead, Medicus is initiating two Phase 2b studies:
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An enabling study in prostate cancer patients to develop further in patients with high cardiovascular risk, with a focus on regulatory approval in this targeted population.
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A study in acute urinary retention due to BPH, aimed at reducing recurrence and improving patient outcomes where no approved therapy currently exists.
The company is also exploring Teverelix’s potential application in women’s health, including conditions such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids. These efforts may benefit from AI and genomics driven approaches to personalize dosing and predict treatment response, though these initiatives remain early stage.
“The next 12 to 18 months are pivotal,” Mehmud said. “We’re advancing trials, to effectively execute our clinical development strategies”