Relugolix
Relugolix is the first hormone-suppressing pill for prostate cancer, working within days and wearing off quickly when stopped.
HERO (2020): sustained castration 96.7% vs 88.8% for leuprolide, faster onset and recovery, 54% fewer major cardiovascular events. Drug interactions (P-gp) and adherence are considerations.
- Medicare
- Part D (self-administered)
Oral, self-administered, so it is a Part D drug: covered through a stand-alone Part D plan or Medicare Advantage drug benefit, usually on the specialty tier with 25 to 33% coinsurance until the annual cap ($2,000 in 2025, $2,100 in 2026). The only oral GnRH antagonist for prostate cancer, so it sits in Part D whereas injectable GnRH agonists and degarelix are Part B; this shifts the cost from 20% coinsurance to the Part D specialty tier and cap.
- Commercial insurance
- covered with prior authorisation
Covered for FDA-labelled and NCCN-listed uses, but almost always behind prior authorisation confirming diagnosis, biomarker and line of therapy; dispensed through a specialty pharmacy. Some plans prefer injectable leuprolide first.
- Assistance programmes
- PAN Foundation — Disease-specific co-pay and premium funds; open and closed funds change monthly.
- HealthWell Foundation
- CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation
- Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief
Part D out-of-pocket capped at $2,000 (2025) / $2,100 (2026). Medicare patients cannot use manufacturer co-pay cards; charity funds (PAN, HealthWell, CancerCare) and the Extra Help subsidy are the routes.
Sources: Medicare.gov: Drug coverage (Part D) · Medicare.gov: Costs for Medicare drug coverage (annual out-of-pocket cap). Not medical or financial advice; verify with your plan.
- Notes
- Licensed 2022 for advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer; NICE position not yet researched.
Sources: NICE search: relugolix. Funding decisions are indication-specific and change monthly; verify with NICE and your treating team.
Approvals
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 2020 | Advanced prostate cancer |
Trials
topRecruiting now (live from ClinicalTrials.gov)
Country and place are remembered in this browser only. A postcode is sent to OpenStreetMap's Nominatim service to find coordinates when you press the button; nothing else leaves your device.
Latest papers
topQuery for this drug: (TITLE:"Relugolix" OR ABSTRACT:"Relugolix" OR TITLE:"Orgovyx" OR ABSTRACT:"Orgovyx") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Relugolix, not a curated reading list.