The pharmacokinetics, safety and endocrine effects of authentic biosynthetic human growth hormone in normal subjects

The pharmacokinetics, safety and endocrine effects of an authentic human growth hormone (bio-hGH), produced by the expression of genomic hGH in a mammalian cell line, were studied in six healthy young men who were administered 0.2 U/kg/day subcutaneously for five consecutive days. Changes in sodium balance and in thyroid function were studied during the week of bio-hGH administration and safety parameters were monitored over a 3-week period. Growth hormone levels reached a mean (+/- SD) peak of 106 +/- 10 mIU/l at 3.3 +/- 0.5 h following the first dose and resulted in a significant rise of somatomedin C. free fatty acids, fasting blood glucose and insulin concentrations. Bio-hGH administration resulted in a significant increase in body weight (80.0 +/- 4.5 to 81.1 +/- 4.3 kg; P less than 0.01) which was associated with a marked reduction in urinary sodium excretion (196 +/- 38 to 45 +/- 20 mmol/day; P less than 0.025). Serum T3 increased during bio-hGH administration and was associated with reciprocal changes in free thyroxine and TSH concentrations. Cardiac, hepatic, renal, biochemical, haematological, endocrinological and immunological functions remained normal throughout the study. No antibodies to hGH or to host cell protein developed during the study. The results show that bio-hGH is safe in the short term, well tolerated, possesses pharmacokinetic and biological properties similar to pituitary hGH, and has distinct effects on sodium balance and on thyroid function. This study stresses the need to monitor patients for effects on sodium retention, carbohydrate metabolism and thyroid function when using hGH doses of 1.0 U/kg/week (40 U/m2/week) or more in patients with GH responsive short stature.