Comprehensive medication guide to Histrelin including estimated pricing, availability information, side effects, and how to find it in stock at your local pharmacy.
Estimated Insurance Pricing
$0–$7,500 depending on insurance plan; Medicare 20% co-insurance = approximately $7,498 per implant. Most commercial plans cover with prior authorization. Medicaid typically covers with minimal cost-sharing.
Estimated Cash Pricing
$45,000–$53,000 per implant (50 mg) at list price; no generic available. Endo Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program may provide the medication at no charge for eligible patients.
Medfinder Findability Score
40/100
On this page
Histrelin acetate (brand name Supprelin LA) is a prescription medication used to treat central precocious puberty (CPP) in children. CPP is a medical condition in which puberty begins too early — before age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys. Left untreated, early puberty can cause premature bone growth and early fusion of growth plates, potentially leading to shorter adult stature.
Histrelin is classified as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. It works by initially stimulating, then continuously suppressing, the pituitary gland's production of hormones that drive puberty (LH and FSH), leading to reduced sex hormone levels in the body. It is delivered as a small subcutaneous implant inserted under the skin of the upper arm, releasing medication continuously for 12 months.
Histrelin was previously also marketed as Vantas for advanced prostate cancer, but Vantas was permanently discontinued by Endo Pharmaceuticals in September 2021 due to manufacturing quality issues. As of 2026, Supprelin LA is the only available histrelin product in the United States.
We have a 99% success rate finding medications, even during nationwide shortages.
Need this medication?
Histrelin is a GnRH agonist — a synthetic version of the body's own gonadotropin-releasing hormone, but approximately 200 times more potent. In normal puberty, GnRH is released in short pulses from the hypothalamus, triggering the pituitary gland to release LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which in turn signal the ovaries or testes to produce estrogen or testosterone.
Histrelin works through a paradoxical mechanism. Instead of pulsing like natural GnRH, the Supprelin LA implant delivers a constant, uninterrupted release of histrelin 24 hours a day. This continuous stimulation initially causes a brief surge in LH and FSH (the "flare" effect), but after 2–4 weeks, the pituitary gland becomes desensitized — it removes its GnRH receptors — and production of LH, FSH, and sex hormones drops dramatically, effectively pausing puberty.
The effect is fully reversible. When the implant is removed, histrelin levels fall, the pituitary recovers, and puberty resumes within 3–12 months. This reversibility is a key advantage of GnRH agonist therapy — it provides precise control over the timing of puberty without permanently altering the reproductive system.
50 mg — Subcutaneous implant
Delivers approximately 65 mcg histrelin acetate per day for 12 months. Inserted under the skin of the inner upper arm by a clinician.
Histrelin (Supprelin LA) is not available at any retail or chain pharmacy — it is exclusively distributed through specialty pharmacies that ship the implant directly to the prescribing physician's office. This means patients cannot simply walk up to a pharmacy counter and request it. Accessing Supprelin LA requires navigating specialty pharmacy networks, insurance prior authorization, and often the assistance of the manufacturer's support center.
As of 2026, Supprelin LA is not on the FDA's active drug shortage list, meaning the manufacturing supply is generally intact. However, the specialty-only distribution channel, universal prior authorization requirements, and the high cost (~$49,000 per implant at list price) create significant access barriers that make it functionally difficult to obtain for many families. There is no generic equivalent.
If you're struggling to find Supprelin LA, medfinder can call specialty pharmacies on your behalf to find which ones have it available and can fill your prescription.
Histrelin (Supprelin LA) is not a controlled substance and has no DEA scheduling restrictions. Any licensed physician may technically prescribe it. However, because insurance prior authorization for CPP typically requires prescribing by or in consultation with a specialist, and because the diagnosis of CPP requires specialized endocrine testing, in practice it is almost always prescribed by or in coordination with a pediatric endocrinologist.
Pediatric endocrinologists (primary prescribers for CPP)
Pediatricians (may diagnose and co-manage, typically in consultation with specialist)
Pediatric surgeons (for implant insertion/removal procedures)
NPs and PAs specializing in pediatric endocrinology (in consultation with a physician)
Telehealth availability for Histrelin is limited. While initial consultation and follow-up monitoring may be possible via telehealth in some states, the implant insertion and removal procedures always require in-person visits. Families should expect at minimum two in-person visits per year: one for implant insertion and one for removal/reinsertion.
No. Histrelin (Supprelin LA) is not a DEA-controlled substance and has no DEA schedule. It does not have abuse potential, and there are no special restrictions on prescribing related to controlled substance scheduling. However, Supprelin LA is a prescription-only specialty drug that requires a physician's prescription, prior authorization from insurance, and is dispensed exclusively through specialty pharmacies.
Because Supprelin LA must be surgically inserted and removed by a trained clinician, patients cannot self-administer this medication. The implant procedure takes place in a physician's office or clinical setting under local anesthesia.
Implant site reactions: bruising, pain, redness, swelling, tenderness (reported in ~51% of patients)
Hot flashes/flushes
Mood changes: irritability, emotional lability, depression
Headache
Fatigue
Weight changes
Initial temporary worsening of puberty signs (girls: vaginal spotting, breast growth — typically resolves in 4–6 weeks)
Pseudotumor cerebri (intracranial hypertension): severe headache, vision changes, blurred or double vision
QT prolongation / cardiac arrhythmia: chest pain, palpitations, fainting
Pituitary apoplexy: sudden severe headache, visual disturbances, altered mental status
Seizures/convulsions
Implant migration or extrusion from insertion site
Decreased bone mineral density with long-term use
Know what you need? Skip the search.
Leuprolide acetate (Lupron Depot-Ped)
Most widely prescribed GnRH agonist for CPP. Available as 1-month or 3-month IM injections. Has the most long-term safety data of any GnRH agonist for CPP.
Triptorelin (Triptodur)
6-month IM injection for CPP. FDA-approved 2017. Different manufacturer than Lupron — independent supply chain. Requires only 2 injections per year.
Leuprolide acetate (Fensolvi)
6-month subcutaneous injection for CPP. FDA-approved 2020. Less painful than IM route. Good option when reducing injection frequency is desired.
Nafarelin acetate (Synarel)
Intranasal GnRH agonist administered twice daily. Avoids injections but requires consistent daily adherence, which limits use.
Prefer Histrelin? We can find it.
QT-prolonging medications (antiarrhythmics, antipsychotics, certain antibiotics)
moderateHistrelin can prolong the QT/QTc interval. Combining with other QT-prolonging drugs increases risk of dangerous arrhythmia. Cardiac monitoring may be needed.
Antidiabetic medications (insulin, metformin)
moderateGnRH agonists may increase blood glucose and reduce insulin sensitivity. Monitor glycemic control when starting or stopping Histrelin.
Systemic corticosteroids (prednisone, dexamethasone)
minorAdditive bone density loss. Histrelin reduces bone mineral density through hormonal suppression; corticosteroids have an independent additive effect.
Anticonvulsants (phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproate)
minorHistrelin has been associated with seizures in some patients. Patients on anticonvulsants require closer monitoring during Histrelin therapy.
Histrelin (Supprelin LA) is a highly effective, once-yearly GnRH agonist implant for central precocious puberty, offering the major clinical advantage of avoiding monthly or quarterly injections. For children with CPP, it provides consistent hormonal suppression with a 12-month duration between procedures, which is preferred by many families and clinicians.
The primary challenges with Histrelin are access and cost. The drug is not available at retail pharmacies, requires specialty pharmacy distribution, and carries a list price of approximately $49,000 per implant. Insurance coverage with prior authorization is the most important cost-reduction tool, supplemented by Endo's Patient Assistance Program for eligible patients. There is no generic equivalent as of 2026, and Vantas (the prostate cancer indication) was permanently discontinued in September 2021.
If you need help locating a specialty pharmacy that carries Supprelin LA, medfinder can call pharmacies on your behalf to find which ones can fill your prescription — saving your family hours of phone calls and confusion.
Medfinder Editorial Standards
Our medication guides are researched and written to help patients make informed decisions. All content is reviewed for accuracy and updated regularly. Learn more about our standards
Real-time availability
Medfinder is actively checking pharmacy inventory for Histrelin. We don't publish a number until we have enough verified pharmacy checks to be accurate — start a search and our team confirms current availability near you, usually within 24 hours.
ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini