posted April 28, 2000 01:58 PM            

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The Cuban

posted April 28, 2000 09:26 PM         

Follitropin beta (fol-li-TROE-pin BAY-ta) is a hormone identical to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) produced by the pituitary gland. FSH helps to develop eggs in the ovaries.

Follitropin beta is used as a fertility medicine to develop eggs in women who have not been able to become pregnant because of problems in ovulation. Also, many women wanting to become pregnant will use this medicine while enrolled in a fertility program that uses procedures such as fertilization (IVF) or embryo transfer (ET). Follitropin beta may be used with other medicines for these purposes.

Some patients may be treated with another hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) before starting treatment with follitropin beta. GnRHa reduces the amount of FSH released from the pituitary gland. This is done so that the doctor can replace their FSH by using follitropin beta in the proper amounts each day to achieve fertility.

Actually this is what you have sorry about the long post, but now you know and knowing is half the battle)
Gonal-F� (follitropin alfa for injection) is a human follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) preparation of recombinant DNA origin, which consists of two non-covalently linked, non-identical glycoproteins designated as the - and �-subunits. The - and �-subunits have 92 and 111 amino acids, respectively, and their primary and tertiary structure are indistinguishable from those of human follicle stimulating hormone. Recombinant FSH production occurs in genetically modified Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells cultured in bioreactors. Purification by immunochromatography using an antibody specifically binding FSH results in a highly purified preparation with a consistent FSH isoform profile, and a high specific activity. The biological activity of follitropin alfa is determined by measuring the increase in ovary weight in female rats. The in vivo biological activity of follitropin alfa has been calibrated against the second International Reference Preparation for Human Menopausal Gonadotrophins established in September 1964 by the Expert Committee on Biological Standards of the World Health Organization. Gonal-F� contains no luteinizing hormone (LH) activity. Based on available data derived from physico-chemical tests and bioassays, follitropin alfa and follitropin beta, another recombinant follicle stimulating hormone product, are indistinguishable.

Gonal-F� is a sterile, lyophilized powder intended for subcutaneous injection after reconstitution with Sterile Water for Injection, USP. Each ampule of Gonal-F� contains either 75 IU or 150 IU recombinant FSH, 30 mg sucrose, 1.11 mg dibasic sodium phosphate and 0.45 mg monobasic sodium phosphate monohydrate. O-phosphoric acid and/or sodium hydroxide may be used prior to lyophilization for pH adjustment. Under current storage conditions, Gonal-F� may contain up to 15% of oxidized follitropin alfa.