Transitioning to lonapegsomatropin in pediatric GHD shows promise with individualized dosing and monitoring
Lonapegsomatropin provides a promising option for managing pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD) with less frequent injections, but careful dose adjustments and monitoring of IGF-1 levels are essential to ensure effective and safe treatment, according to a study.
The single-center, retrospective study evaluated the impact of transitioning from somatropin to lonapegsomatropin in children with pediatric GHD in 14 patients.
Patients were switched from a median somatropin dose of 0.18 mg/kg/week to a median lonapegsomatropin dose of 0.23 mg/kg/week. There was a median insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) increase of 2.3 standard deviation scores. Dose adjustments were frequently required, with 5 patients needing immediate reductions due to elevated IGF-1 levels.
Despite these adjustments, no serious adverse effects were reported. Researchers concluded that lonapegsomatropin offers a viable alternative to somatropin, reducing injection frequency.
Reference
Coyne E, Muthuvel G, Gutmark-Little I. Clinical outcomes of switching to lonapegsomatropin from somatropin for treatment of pediatric growth hormone deficiency. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2025;doi: 10.1515/jpem-2024-0496. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39843388.