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Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
Effective GH Replacement With Somapacitan in Children With GHD: REAL4 2-year Results and After Switch From Daily GH
Bradley S Miller1, Joanne C Blair2, Michael Højby Rasmussen3
1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Minnesota Medical School, MHealth Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
Context:
Somapacitan is a long-acting GH derivative for treatment of GH deficiency (GHD).
Objective:
Evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of somapacitan in children with GHD after 2 years of treatment and after the switch from daily GH.
Design:
A randomized, multinational, open-labelled, controlled parallel group phase 3 trial, comprising a 52-week main phase and 3-year safety extension (NCT03811535).
Setting:
Eighty-five sites across 20 countries.
Patients:
A total of 200 treatment-naïve prepubertal patients were randomized and exposed; 194 completed the 2-year period.
Interventions:
Patients were randomized 2:1 to somapacitan (0.16 mg/kg/wk) or daily GH (0.034 mg/kg/d) during the first year, after which all patients received somapacitan 0.16 mg/kg/wk.
Main Outcome Measures:
Height velocity (HV; cm/year) at week 104. Additional assessments included HV SD score (SDS), height SDS, IGF-I SDS, and observer-reported outcomes.
Results:
HV was sustained in both groups between 52 and 104 weeks. At week 104, mean (SD) for HV between weeks 52 and 104 was 8.4 (1.5) cm/year after continuous somapacitan treatment and 8.7 (1.8) cm/year after 1 year of somapacitan treatment following switch from daily GH. Secondary height-related endpoints also supported sustained growth. Mean IGF-I SDS during year 2 was similar between groups and within normal range (-2 to +2). Somapacitan was well tolerated, with no safety or tolerability issues identified. GH patient preference questionnaire results show that most patients and their caregivers (90%) who switched treatment at year 2 preferred once-weekly somapacitan over daily GH treatment.
Conclusions:
Somapacitan in children with GHD showed sustained efficacy and tolerability for 2 years, and after switching from daily GH. Patients/caregivers switching from daily GH expressed a preference for somapacitan.
Clinical Trial Registration:
NCT03811535.
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