Lecirelin

Mechanism of action

A GnRH agonist: it triggers pituitary release of LH, inducing ovulation (2015 cattle comparison).

Primary uses

• Induction of ovulation and treatment of follicular cysts in cattle (studies; UK authorisation for cattle)
• Induction of ovulation in rabbits (studies; UK authorisation for rabbits)

Typical dosing

Regulatory status

Approved only for animals. UK: Dalmarelin 25 micrograms/ml solution for injection for cattle and rabbits is currently authorised (VMD). Not in the US Green Book's active-ingredient list or the EMA medicines list; Drugs@FDA holds no record.

Status as of this entry's last review, October 28, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.

What we checked

Lecirelin is a veterinary GnRH agonist; this section records what can be checked.

Identity, computed

Its non-standard residues are outside a residue calculator, so the formula and weight are PubChem's.

Regulatory status, read October 28, 2026

Drugs@FDA: 0 records for “lecirelin”. EMA medicines list: 0 records for “lecirelin”. Run for semaglutide, the same queries return 6 and 5 records (and the registry search 80 trials), so a zero here is an absence, not a broken search. WADA 2026: section S2.2.1; WADA 2027: section S2.2.1.

What the studies show

Gonadorelin, lecirelin and buserelin compared for the LH surge, ovulation and progesterone in 12 Holstein cows (Picard-Hagen et al., 2015).

Epidural against intramuscular lecirelin for follicular cysts in dairy cows (Rizzo et al., 2011).

Lecirelin added to the seminal dose to induce ovulation in rabbits (Dal Bosco et al., 2014).

What we looked for and did not find

No human study.

References

1. [other] PubChem CID 66577115, Lecirelin: formula C59H84N16O12, molecular weight 1209.4. Read October 28, 2026. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/66577115
2. [other] UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Product Information Database, currently authorised products searched by active substance, read October 28, 2026: Dalmarelin 25 micrograms/ml solution for injection for cattle and rabbits, VM 11557/5001, active substance lecirelin, target species cattle and rabbits. https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/ProductInformationDatabase/
3. [clinical-trial] Picard-Hagen N, et al. "Effect of gonadorelin, lecirelin, and buserelin on LH surge, ovulation, and progesterone in cattle." Theriogenology, 2015;84(2):177-83. PMID: 25890780.
4. [clinical-trial] Rizzo A, et al. "Epidural vs intramuscular administration of lecirelin, a GnRH analogue, for the resolution of follicular cysts in dairy cows." Anim Reprod Sci, 2011;126(1-2):19-22. PMID: 21571459.
5. [clinical-trial] Dal Bosco A, et al. "Induction of ovulation in rabbits by adding Lecirelin to the seminal dose: in vitro and in vivo effects of different excipients." Anim Reprod Sci, 2014;150(1-2):44-9. PMID: 25242368.
6. [other] US FDA, Drugs@FDA (openFDA): no application for lecirelin. Read October 28, 2026.

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