Hormone medicines
Corifollitropin alfa
A prolonged-action FSH analogue used in specialist reproductive care; evidence depends on age, diagnosis and the full treatment pathway.
Randomized IVF comparison plus EU indication-specific assessment; checked 2026-10-01
Also known as: Elonva
Practical use
Clinical purpose, evidence and review questions
- Identify the indication
- Keep ovarian stimulation and adolescent hypogonadotropic hypogonadism as separate evidence questions.
- Read the denominator
- Check whether a result is per started cycle, retrieval or embryo transfer.
- Prepare the history
- Bring earlier stimulation responses and known ovarian or pituitary diagnoses to the specialist review.
Overview
Corifollitropin alfa combines FSH activity with a structural extension that prolongs exposure. EU Elonva is authorized for ovarian stimulation with a GnRH antagonist, and with hCG for adolescent males aged 14 to under 18 with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. These are distinct populations and goals.
Risks and limitations
Ovarian hyperstimulation, pelvic discomfort, headache and nausea are important in fertility care. The EU overview lists restrictions including specified tumors, unexplained vaginal bleeding, primary ovarian failure and some high-risk ovarian conditions. A prior diagnosis such as PCOS materially changes the treatment assessment.
How to read this
An ovarian-stimulation result cannot establish male fertility restoration or healthy-user performance. The regulatory adolescent indication also should not be generalized to all adult men with a low testosterone result.
Research explained
PURSUE: IVF in women aged 35–42
Who was studied
1,390 women in a randomized, double-blind comparison of a corifollitropin-based strategy with daily recombinant FSH, both within a supervised GnRH-antagonist IVF pathway.
What was found
Vital pregnancy per started cycle was 23.9% versus 26.9%; live birth was 21.3% versus 23.4%. The live-birth difference was −2.3 percentage points (95% CI −6.5 to 1.9). The study met its noninferiority conclusions; OHSS occurred in 1.7% in each group.
What it cannot establish
The results do not prove higher success or exact equivalence. The age range, body characteristics, embryo-transfer approach and companion medicines remain part of the evidence.
Read the original studyA longer action changes exposure, not the endpoint
Fewer treatment administrations do not by themselves mean more babies born. Convenience and reproductive outcome should be assessed separately.
Supporting sourceSeparate the adolescent indication
The EU assessment also describes testicular development in boys with deficient gonadotropin signaling. That evidence is distinct from the large female IVF comparisons.
Supporting sourceClaims versus findings
Not established
Longer-acting FSH is automatically more effective.
The cited study supports noninferiority within a selected IVF population, not universal superiority.
Check the evidenceCommon questions
Can the pregnancy percentage be used as an individual success forecast?
No. It is an average per started cycle in a defined trial population, with uncertainty and other clinical factors.
SourceSources
PURSUE: IVF in women aged 35–42
EU regulatory overview; checked October 1, 2026
Sources checked 2026-10-01.
General education; not a personal treatment plan.