A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind, double-dummy comparison of recombinant and urinary HCG for inducing oocyte maturation and follicular luteinization in ovarian stimulation

A randomized, controlled, double-blind, double-dummy, phase III clinical tr ial was conducted in 84 women to compare the efficacy of a s.c, injection o f 250 mu g recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin (rHCG; Ovidrel(R)) to an i.m, injection of 5000 IU urinary HCG (uHCG; Profasi(R)) in inducing fol liculogenesis, resumption of oocyte meiosis and luteinization after ovulati on induction with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (Gonal-F(R)), Th e study primary endpoint was comparison of the number of oocytes retrieved per patient receiving either compound. Secondary comparisons included the n umber of oocytes retrieved per follicles aspirated; the number of mature oo cytes; normally fertilized oocytes; and cleaved embryos. There were no stat istically significant differences between groups for the primary endpoint ( mean +/- SD oocytes retrieved 10.8 +/- 4.5 for rHCG versus 10.3 +/- 5.1 for uHCG) or each of the secondary endpoints except for increased concentratio ns of progesterone 6-7 days after rHCG administration (353.2 +/- 215.1 vers us 234.1 +/- 129.4 nmol/l; P < 0.004) and for HCG during the luteal phase f ollowing rHCG (P < 0.02), There were also nd significant side-effects for e ither drug. Since the confidence intervals for the difference of the number of oocytes retrieved between the two treatment groups were within the boun ds defined by the multi-trial protocol equivalence between rHCG and uHCG co uld be declared.