Real-world Evidence on Follitropin Delta Individual Dosing

March 25, 2025 updated by: Prof. Dr. med. M.Sc. Georg Griesinger, University of Luebeck

The Performance of an Individual Dosing Regimen of Follitropin Delta for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation for IVF in a Real-word Setting: a Non-interventional Observational Study

As part of the in vitro fertilisation treatment, ovarian stimulation is routinely performed. For this purpose, FSH preparations are used. Follitropin delta is a FSH preparation that is approved for a wide range of applications and is dosed individually according to body weight and serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). Body weight is used to estimate the distribution volume of the glycoprotein FD in the patient and is thus a proxy of exposure. The AMH is used to estimate the ovarian reserve and thus the number of follicles in the ovaries that can be recruited by Follitropin delta stimulation. An algorithm is used for individual dosing. The aim of individual dosing is to reduce the probability of an under or overreaction of the ovaries to FSH therapy.

In contrast to phase III registration studies, patients with severe overweight and underweight, as well as very high and very low AMH values and associated disorders of the menstrual cycle and oocyte maturation, are also found in the reality of care. The performance of the dosing algorithm and thus the results of ovarian stimulation in these subgroups of patients have so far been insufficiently investigated in the phase III registration trials.

In the present study no statistical hypothesis will be tested. The study is descriptive by design and the analyses are descriptive and exploratory. NIS is chosen in order to explore how the individualized dosing regimen of REKOVELLE® performs in routine clinical practice and to investigate the effectiveness and safety of REKOVELLE® under real-world conditions. This is a monocentric, prospective, non-interventional cohort study conducted in normal care setting in a fertility clinic that will collect information from 850 women undergoing up to two cycles of IVF or ICSI treatment with controlled ovarian stimulation with REKOVELLE®.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Infertility is often defined as the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Many factors (age, gynaecological problems, life style factors) can cause infertility and may involve the male, the female or both.

Global estimates suggest that the 12-month prevalence rate of infertility ranged from 3.5% to 16.7% in developed countries, with a median prevalence of 9% worldwide for women aged 20 - 44 years. A recent study estimated that 1.9% of child-seeking women aged 20 - 44 years experienced primary infertility (unable to have a live birth) and 10.5% secondary infertility (at least one live birth). The proportion of infertile couples seeking any infertility medical care ranges from 51% in less developed countries to 56% in developed countries, and 22% actually received infertility treatment.

Among fertility treatment, controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with recombinant or urinary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and human menotropin gonadotropin (hMG) aims to obtain an adequate number of competent oocytes to be used for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), with minimum risks for the woman.

The ovarian response is influenced by the dose of gonadotropin, but there is a large variability across patients for the same dose of gonadotropin. A standard starting dose of gonadotropin in women with a low ovarian reserve may result in a poor ovarian response. In women with a high ovarian reserve, the same dose may result in an excessive response and therefore increases the risk of complications such as the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). OHSS is a rare but critical complication associated with gonadotropin use. Severe OHSS occurs in approximately 1.4 % of all COS cycles.

Individualizing COS regimens is therefore crucial to ensure an appropriate dosing from the start of stimulation in order to reduce the risk of cycle cancellation due to poor response and minimize the iatrogenic risks due to an excessive response.The use of biomarkers, which can predict ovarian response to exogenous FSH stimulation, has been extensively investigated. Among the different biomarkers, the serum level of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is currently considered as the most robust marker of the ovarian reserve. In addition, AMH serum levels shows relative stability and consistency during the menstrual cycle, and can therefore be measured at any time of the menstrual cycle.

In December 2016, Ferring received Marketing Authorisation approval from the European Commission for follitropin delta (FE 999049) under the trade name REKOVELLE®, a new human recombinant FSH (rFSH). The indication is: "Controlled ovarian stimulation for the development of multiple follicles in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle." This is the first rFSH treatment to be administered with an individualised dosing regimen, based on a woman's serum AMH level as well as her body weight.

This individualised dosing regimen was established in a phase-2 AMH-stratified trial conducted in 265 IVF/ICSI patients using pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modelling and simulation. A robust assay was developed in collaboration with Roche Diagnostics to ensure a reliable assessment of AMH levels at the standards intended for companion diagnostics.

The efficacy and safety of Follitropin Delta was first evaluated in the ESTHER-1 (Evidence- based Stimulation Trial with Human rFSH in Europe and Rest of World) phase-3 trial, which compared the individualized Follitropin Delta dosing based on AMH level and body weight with conventional Follitropin Alfa (Gonal-F®) dosing. Patients who did not achieve an ongoing pregnancy could continue in the ESTHER-2 phase-3 trial, which evaluated the immunogenicity in repeated COS cycles. The results of the phase-3 trials showed that individualized Follitropin Delta was non-inferior to conventional Follitropin Alfa for ongoing pregnancy and ongoing implantationrates. Overall, women treated with individualized Follitropin Delta dosing reached more frequently the prespecified optimum oocyte yield (8-14 oocytes), with fewer cases of extreme ovarian responses, and a reduced need for OHSS preventive measures.

The phase III clinical program has demonstrated that REKOVELLE® is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for controlled ovarian stimulation. Nevertheless, while clinical trials provide crucial information about drug efficacy and safety under controlled conditions in a selected group of patients, broader information is needed to explore how the individualized dosing regimen of REKOVELLE® is used in routine clinical practice and to investigate the effectiveness and safety of REKOVELLE® under real-world conditions.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

850

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Germany
    • Schleswig-Holstein
      • Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, 23562

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 44 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The included patients are adult women from the routine clinical care settings with indication for ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in a GnRH-antagonist protocol who are making a first treatment attempt IVF or ICSI. This study is intended to be conducted in non-vulnerable population. No vulnerable subjects will be enrolled in the study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥18 to ≤ 44 years at enrolment

    • Planned stimulation in a fixed or flexible GnRH antagonist protocol
    • Planned use of follitropin delta for ovarian stimulation as per SmPC
    • Planned IVF or ICSI treatment with ejaculated or cryopreserved male germ cells, autologous or heterologous, with or without planned genetic testing of the oocytes or embryos
    • Planned preservation of MII oocytes (fertility preservation)
    • Planned triggering of final oocyte maturation with hCG or a GnRH agonist
    • Willingness and consent to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Serum AMH within 12 months prior to treatment ≤0.3 ng/ml
  • Most recent serum AMH value before start of stimulation older than 12 months
  • Serum AMH value not determined in Roche Elecsys immunoassays
  • Pre-treatment with a combined oral contraceptive "pill" consisting of ethinyl estradiol and a synthetic progestogen

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Patients receiving treatment with Follitropin-delta
The included patients are adult women from the routine clinical care settings with indication for ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in a GnRH-antagonist protocol who are making a first treatment attempt IVF or ICSI. This study is intended to be conducted in non-vulnerable population. No vulnerable subjects will be enrolled in the study.
Drug: Follitropin delta
REKOVELLE® (follitropin delta), solution for injection - delivered with an injection pen, ATC code G03GA10, is a recombinant human FSH approved for the controlled ovarian stimulation for the development of multiple follicles in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies such as an in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle.
Other Names:
  • REKOVELLE® (follitropin delta)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ovarian response
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Number of cumulus-oocyte-complexes of the individual dosing regimen of follitropin delta for controlled ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in a cohort of patients from a real-world setting with focus on high body weight.
2021-2022

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Overall treatment outcome
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Incidence of live birth stratified for low, normal and high AMH and body weight
2021-2022
Change in body weight
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Determine change in body weight between 1st and 2nd cycle in subjects undergoing two cycles
2021-2022
Incidence of dose changes
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Incidence of dose changes between 1st and 2nd treatment cycle in subjects undergoing two cycles
2021-2022
Intra-individual variation of ovarian response
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Intra-individual variation of the number of cumulus-oocyte-complexes retrieved between 1st and 2nd treatment cycle in subjects undergoing two cycles, stratified for low, normal and high AMH and body weight and cycle regularity
2021-2022
Measurement of correlation of variance of body weight and AMH
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Correlation coefficient of variance of body weight and AMH with variance of ovarian response between 1st and 2nd cycle in subjects undergoing two cycles
2021-2022
Comparison of intra-individual variance
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Intra-individual variance in the number of cumulus-oocyte-complexes retrieved between first and second cycle in subgroups on the prospectively collected data and historical controls
2021-2022
Safety of treatment
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Incidence of adverse events related to treatment and assessed by CTCAE v4.0 of follitropin delta in a real-world setting
2021-2022
Change in AMH
Time Frame: 2021-2022
Difference in serum AMH values between 1st and 2nd cycle in subjects undergoing two cycles
2021-2022

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Luebeck

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 8, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 18, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 12, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

December 30, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 30, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 25, 2025

Last Verified

March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Aktenzeichen 21-385

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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