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IGF-I Reduction
Signs and Symptoms
Sustained Efficacy
The 2014 Endocrine Society Guidelines suggest SOMAVERT as an option for initial adjuvant medical therapy in patients with significant disease following surgery3,*
In the pivotal trial, SOMAVERT showed significantly reduced IGF-I levels from baseline across all 3 doses at 12 weeks (primary endpoint).1,2
Rapid reduction: 75% of the total mean reduction in IGF-I levels occurred within 2 weeks and the reduction was sustained over the 12-week course of therapy with all doses of SOMAVERT (this was not part of the primary endpoint)1
Study Description: Data from a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled, fixed daily pegvisomant dose (10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg), 12-week study in 112 patients with acromegaly who may have been previously treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or drug therapy.1
The 2014 Endocrine Society Guidelines suggest SOMAVERT as an option for initial adjuvant medical therapy in patients with significant disease following surgery3,*
SOMAVERT improved ring size and total score of signs and symptoms, compared with placebo.1,2
In a post hoc analysis of the pivotal study, 88% of patients who achieved IGF-I normalization in the 12-week pivotal trial also experienced an improved signs and symptoms score4
Study Description: Data from a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled, fixed daily pegvisomant dose (10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg), 12-week study in 112 patients with acromegaly who may have been previously treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or drug therapy.1
Total score for signs and symptoms is based on scores for 5 symptoms, each graded in severity from 0 (absent) to 8 (worst). Thus, the total possible score ranged from 0 to 40. The 5 symptoms graded were fatigue, excessive perspiration, headache, arthralgia, and soft-tissue swelling. The mean change from baseline for each dose was calculated by averaging the change in total score at 12 weeks across all patients in that dosing arm. Mean baseline total score for signs and symptoms in all dose groups combined was 15.2.1,2
In a post hoc analysis, of the 112 patients randomized and treated in the study, 60 patients (53.6%) had IGF-I levels within the normal range at some point during the study follow-up. Among these 60 patients, 59 also had their acromegaly signs and symptoms total score reported at or after the IGF-I normalization visit. Fifty-two out of 59 patients (88%) had reported improved acromegaly signs and symptoms at the clinical visit or later at which IGF-I levels were reported as normalized.4
The 2014 Endocrine Society Guidelines suggest SOMAVERT as an option for initial adjuvant medical therapy in patients with significant disease following surgery3,*
In an open-label extension to the pivotal study, 93% of patients showed normalized IGF-I levels during at least 1 visit over a mean treatment exposure of 43 weeks2
Study Description: In the open-label extension to the 12-week pivotal study, 109 subjects (including 6 new patients) with mean treatment exposure of 42.6 weeks (range 1 day to 82 weeks) were evaluated for safety, tolerability, and efficacy of pegvisomant. The study had a dose titration phase to lower IGF-I from baseline as primary endpoint and to normalize IGF-I as secondary endpoint, followed by a maintenance phase to mimic eventual clinical practice. A total of 100 (92.6%) of the 108 patients with available IGF-I data had a normalized IGF-I concentration during at least 1 visit during the study.2
In a multicenter, open-label, 32-week study, patients who discontinued prior therapy were treated with SOMAVERT at week 4 for a total of 28 weeks.5
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Patients on opioids often needed higher serum pegvisomant concentrations to achieve appropriate IGF-I suppression compared with patients not receiving opioids.
Patients with acromegaly and diabetes mellitus being treated with insulin and/or oral hypoglycemic agents may require dose reductions of these therapeutic agents after the initiation of treatment with SOMAVERT.
Important safety information regarding liver test monitoring
Baseline serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum total bilirubin (TBIL), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels should be obtained prior to initiating therapy with SOMAVERT. Monitor liver tests based on baseline values and changes during therapy according to the schedule in the full Prescribing Information.
Asymptomatic, transient elevations in transaminases up to 15 times ULN have been observed in <2% of subjects among two open-label trials (with a total of 147 patients). These reports were not associated with an increase in bilirubin. Transaminase elevations normalized with time, most often after suspending treatment. Postmarketing reports have identified elevations in serum hepatic transaminases up to >20 times ULN associated with elevation in total bilirubin >2 times ULN. In many of these cases, discontinuation of SOMAVERT therapy resulted in improvement or resolution of hepatic laboratory abnormalities. If a patient develops liver test elevations, or any other symptoms of liver dysfunction while receiving SOMAVERT, please see Liver Tests section of the full Prescribing Information.
In subjects with systemic hypersensitivity reactions, caution and close monitoring should be exercised when reinitiating SOMAVERT therapy.
The most common adverse events (>6% and at frequencies greater than placebo) in the active treatment arms in a placebo-controlled study (N=112) included infection (23%), pain (14%), nausea (14%), diarrhea (14%), abnormal liver function tests (12%), flu syndrome (12%), and injection-site reaction (11%).
Lipohypertrophy has been reported in patients treated with SOMAVERT; therefore, injection sites should be rotated daily.
SOMAVERT® (pegvisomant for injection) is indicated for the treatment of acromegaly in patients who have had an inadequate response to surgery or radiation therapy, or for whom these therapies are not appropriate. The goal of treatment is to normalize serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels.
Please see full Prescribing Information.