Pegvisomant Restores Normal Serum IGF-1 Levels/Acromegaly

[MaryOld]

From http://diabetes.medscape.com/45476.rhtml?s...-113001

ALIGN="center">Pegvisomant Restores Normal Serum IGF-1 Levels in Patients With Acromegaly

WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Nov 26 - Treatment with the growth hormone receptor antagonist pegvisomant (Somavert, Sensus Drug Development Corporation, Austin, Texas) decreases serum insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations to normal levels in patients with acromegaly, according to the results of a multinational safety and efficacy trial.

As reported in the November 24th issue of The Lancet, 90 patients were treated for at least 12 months, and 39 patients were treated for 18 months.

Dr. Michael O. Thorner, of the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, and associates initiated treatment as once-daily SC injections starting at 10 mg/day. The dose was titrated until the patient's serum IGF-1 concentration became normal or until the daily dose reached 40 mg/day.

Of those treated for at least 12 months, 87 (97%) achieved a normal serum IGF-1 concentration, which the investigators note is a much better response than that achieved with dopamine agonists or somatostatin analogues. There was no significant change in mean pituitary tumour volumes.

Pegvisomant was generally well tolerated, with mild injection site reactions being the most common adverse events. Two patients experienced liver transaminase elevations, and the IGF-I concentrations fell below normal limits in 11 patients.

"Pegvisomant has a novel mechanism of action," Dr. Thorner noted in a university statement. "It blocks the action of growth hormone at the tissue level rather than relying on inhibition of growth hormone secretion from the tumor."

"Clinically, this drug reverses all those symptoms that are reversible," Dr. Thorner told Reuters Health. "Obviously, once the bones have grown, there's not much you can do about that. But the soft tissue [swelling] goes down and the sweating stops and the diabetes improves."

"I think pegvisomant is going to change the face of medical therapy," Dr. Thorner predicted.

Lancet 2001;358(9295):000-000 [Full text of article (free registration may be required)]

[Kristy]

:wow:

I had heard that some research was getting ready to break. This is wonderful news! Soon, acromegly may be able to me treated with medication and surgery only to remove the tumor. Non-invasive means of treating the disease is an excellent avenue. Thanks for posting!