Lupron Depot

Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate) is an injectable medication made by AbbVie. It belongs to a class called GnRH agonists (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists), which work by suppressing the production of sex hormones — testosterone in men and estrogen/progesterone in women — that fuel certain hormone-dependent conditions.

Without insurance, each Lupron Depot injection can cost $1,500–$3,000, and treatment often requires monthly or quarterly injections for months or years. AbbVie provides programs to help qualifying patients access Lupron Depot.

How to Afford Lupron Depot

• Uninsured patients who meet income requirements may receive Lupron Depot at no cost through myAbbVie Assist.
• Commercially insured patients may be eligible for copay assistance through AbbVie's savings programs.

ClariMeds determines the right free program for Lupron Depot based on your insurance status and income — and handles all enrollment paperwork.

What Does Lupron Depot Treat?

Lupron Depot is FDA-approved for:

• Advanced prostate cancer — to reduce testosterone and slow tumor growth (androgen deprivation therapy)
• Endometriosis — to shrink endometrial lesions and relieve pelvic pain
• Uterine fibroids — to reduce fibroid size before surgery
• Central precocious puberty (CPP) — in children experiencing abnormally early puberty

How Lupron Depot Works

The pituitary gland normally releases GnRH in pulses to stimulate sex hormone production. Lupron Depot acts as a continuous (non-pulsatile) GnRH signal, which paradoxically causes the pituitary to become desensitized and stop responding — leading to a sharp drop in LH, FSH, testosterone, and estrogen. This hormonal suppression slows or halts the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors and tissues. The depot formulation uses microspheres to release the drug slowly over 1, 3, 4, or 6 months depending on the formulation.