How to Store Lupron Depot: Room Temperature, Not Fridge
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[Storage · Lupron Depot]

How to store Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate)

Quoted from the US label · Unopened vs in use · Travel · Sources · Reviewed

Short answer: Lupron Depot kits are stored at room temperature, 68-77°F (20-25°C), with excursions to 59-86°F (15-30°C) permitted. None of the current labels say to refrigerate them. Once the powder is mixed with the diluent, the suspension has no preservative, so it is injected right away or thrown away if not used within two hours. A healthcare provider mixes and gives it. Source: Lupron Depot labels, sections 2 and 16.

What do the Lupron Depot labels say?

Lupron Depot 3.75 mg section 16: “Store between 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F). Excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature].” Section 2.2: “Inject the LUPRON DEPOT 3.75 mg suspension immediately or discard if not used within two hours as the suspension does not contain a preservative.” The other strengths have their own labels with the same temperature range.

Storage text from each current Lupron Depot US label (sections 2 and 16).
LabelKit storageAfter mixing
Lupron Depot 3.75 mg (monthly; endometriosis, fibroids)20-25°C (68-77°F); excursions 15-30°C (59-86°F)Inject immediately or discard if not used within two hours
Lupron Depot 11.25 mg (every 3 months; endometriosis, fibroids)20-25°C (68-77°F); excursions 15-30°C (59-86°F)Inject immediately or discard if not used within two hours
Lupron Depot 7.5, 22.5, 30 and 45 mg (prostate cancer)20-25°C (68-77°F); excursions 15-30°C (59-86°F)Inject immediately or discard if not used within two hours
Lupron Depot-PED (central precocious puberty)Prior to reconstitution, 20-25°C (68-77°F); excursions 15-30°C (59-86°F)Inject immediately after reconstitution; discard if not used within 2 hours

What is in the kit, and who mixes it?

Each kit holds one prefilled dual-chamber syringe, with the powder in one chamber and the diluent in the other, plus a plunger and two alcohol swabs (section 16). A healthcare professional mixes it and gives it as a single intramuscular injection. Section 2.2 says not to use the syringe if clumping or caking is evident; a thin layer of powder on the wall of the syringe before mixing is normal.

The Lupron Depot-PED Patient Information says: “Store LUPRON DEPOT-PED INJECTION at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).”

See the Lupron Depot dosing schedule, Lupron Depot side effects, the leuprolide page and what a depot injection is.

How do you travel with it?

If you pick up a Lupron Depot kit from a specialty pharmacy and bring it to the clinic, the labels store it at 68-77°F (20-25°C), with excursions to 59-86°F (15-30°C). It does not need an ice pack; keep it out of a hot car.

  • TSA allows medically necessary liquids over 3.4 oz in carry-on bags; declare them at the checkpoint for inspection.
  • Unused syringes and pen needles are allowed when they travel with the injectable medicine.
  • Ice packs and gel packs that keep medicine cool may go through frozen, partly frozen or melted.
  • Keep medicine in your carry-on, not checked luggage, where you cannot control the temperature. Do not let it touch an ice pack directly, since most labels say do not freeze.

More in the travel guide.

Quoted from the current US label on DailyMed, not personalized advice. Labels change; the leaflet in your own carton, your pharmacist and your prescriber are the final word on how to store it.
MenopurPowder at 37-77°F, fridge or room temperature; use right after mixing. DelestrogenRoom temperature, 68-77°F; crystals from cold redissolve on warming. Depo-TestosteroneRoom temperature, out of the light. Cold can cause crystals; warming redissolves them.

Frequently asked questions

Does Lupron Depot need to be refrigerated?+
No. The current Lupron Depot labels say store the kit at 68-77°F (20-25°C), with excursions to 59-86°F (15-30°C) permitted.
How long is Lupron Depot good after mixing?+
Inject it immediately or discard it if not used within two hours. The suspension does not contain a preservative.
Can a Lupron Depot kit sit in a warm car?+
The labels allow excursions to 59-86°F (15-30°C). They give no allowance above 86°F (30°C).
What if the powder is clumped?+
Section 2.2 says do not use the syringe if clumping or caking is evident. A thin layer of powder on the syringe wall before mixing is normal.

Sources

  1. Lupron Depot 3.75 mg (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) US prescribing information, DailyMed
  2. Lupron Depot 11.25 mg (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) US prescribing information, DailyMed
  3. Lupron Depot 7.5 mg, 22.5 mg, 30 mg and 45 mg (prostate cancer) US prescribing information, DailyMed
  4. Lupron Depot-PED (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) US prescribing information, DailyMed
  5. TSA: Liquid medications
  6. TSA: Unused syringes
  7. TSA: Gel ice packs

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