Cetrorelix: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Cetrorelix is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats
- Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
- Available as
- Kit
- Sold as
- 2 products — Cetrotide and Cetrorelix Acetate
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
How cetrorelix is dosed
From the FDA label for Cetrotide (application NDA021197). Other cetrorelix products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Ovarian stimulation therapy with gonadotropins (FSH, hMG) is started on cycle Day 2 or 3. The dose of gonadotropins should be adjusted according to individual response. Cetrotide ® (cetrorelix acetate for injection) 0.25 mg may be administered subcutaneously once daily during the early- to mid-follicular phase. Cetrotide ® 0.25 mg is administered on either stimulation day 5 (morning or evening) or day 6 (morning) and continued daily until the day of hCG administration. When assessment by ultrasound shows a sufficient number of follicles of adequate size, hCG is administered to induce ovulation and final maturation of the oocytes. No hCG should be administered if the ovaries show an excessive response to the treatment with gonadotropins to reduce the chance of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Administration Cetrotide ® 0.25 mg can be administered by the patient herself after appropriate instructions by her doctor. Directions for using Cetrotide ® 0.25 mg with the enclosed needles and pre-filled syringe: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Flip off the plastic cover of the vial and wipe the aluminum ring and the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab. Twist the injection needle with the yellow mark (20 gauge) on the pre-filled syringe. Push the needle through the center of the rubber stopper of the vial and slowly inject the solvent into the vial. Leaving…
Cetrorelix side effects
The safety of Cetrotide ® (cetrorelix acetate for injection) in 949 patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation in clinical studies was evaluated. Women were between 19 and 40 years of age (mean: 32). 94.0% of them were Caucasian. Cetrotide ® was given in doses ranging from 0.1 mg to 5 mg as either a single or multiple dose. Table 3 shows systemic adverse events, reported in clinical studies without regard to causality, from the beginning of Cetrotide ® treatment until confirmation of pregnancy by ultrasound at an incidence ≥ 1% in Cetrotide ® treated subjects undergoing COS. Table 3: Adverse Events in ≥1% (WHO preferred term) Cetrotide ® N=949 % (n) Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome Intensity moderate or severe, or WHO Grade II or III, respectively 3.5 (33) Nausea 1.3 (12) Headache 1.1 (10) Local site reactions (e.g. redness, erythema, bruising, itching, swelling, and pruritus) were reported. Usually, they were of a transient nature, mild intensity and short duration. During post-marketing surveillance, cases of mild to moderate Ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome and cases of hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactoid reactions have been reported. Two stillbirths were reported in Phase 3 studies of Cetrotide ® . Congenital Anomalies Clinical follow-up studies of 316 newborns of women administered Cetrotide ® were reviewed. One infant of a set of twin neonates…
Who shouldn’t take cetrorelix
Cetrotide ® (cetrorelix acetate for injection) is contraindicated under the following conditions: Hypersensitivity to cetrorelix acetate, extrinsic peptide hormones or mannitol. Known hypersensitivity to GnRH or any other GnRH analogs. Known or suspected pregnancy, and lactation (see PRECAUTIONS ). Severe renal impairment
Cetrorelix drug interactions
No formal drug interaction studies have been performed with Cetrotide ® .
Every cetrorelix product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Kit | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Kit | No data | — | View → |
Cetrorelix recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long cetrorelix keeps
No cetrorelix label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does cetrorelix expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about cetrorelix
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 97 reports naming cetrorelix, and the FDA flagged 84% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome20 reports
- generalised tonic-clonic seizure19 reports
- drug level decreased18 reports
- blood oestrogen increased10 reports
- abortion spontaneous8 reports
- ascites6 reports
- abdominal pain5 reports
- abdominal distension4 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean cetrorelix caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is cetrorelix?
Cetrotide ® (cetrorelix acetate for injection) is a synthetic decapeptide with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonistic activity. Cetrorelix acetate is an analog of native GnRH with substitutions of amino acids at positions 1, 2, 3, 6, and 10.
Can you take cetrorelix with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run cetrorelix against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is cetrorelix sold under?
We track 2 cetrorelix-containing products in the U.S.: Cetrotide and Cetrorelix Acetate. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does cetrorelix come in?
Across the brands we track, cetrorelix is currently marketed as kit, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic cetrorelix?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic cetrorelix product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has cetrorelix been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 1 recall record whose product description mentions cetrorelix. The most recent: Cetrorelix Acetate for Injection (Kit) (Feb 9, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Cetrorelix: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cetrorelix
- MLA
- “Cetrorelix: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cetrorelix.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for cetrorelix on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.