Growth Hormone Antagonist

Growth hormone antagonists have recently entered clinical use, and though they have no known effect on the size or growth of the underlying pituitary tumour, they are effective in reducing IGF-1 levels towards normal. They are well tolerated, but still very expensive, which has limited their use. 

Rowles S, Paisley A, Trainer PJ. Somastatin analogue versus growth-hormone antagonist treatment for acromegaly who should get what Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes 2003 10 265-71. 

FIGURE 24.5 (See color insert following page 40). Potential PECylation sites of human growth hormone antagonist (shown with their PECylation reactivities relative to that of the N-terminus amine indicated in percent). 

Pegvisomant (Somavert) Pfizer (2002) Human growth hormone antagonist 4-5 PEGofSkDa Acromegaly... 

Olson, K., Gehant, R., Mukku, V., et al., 1997, Preparation and characterization of poly(ethyleneglycol)ylated human growth hormone antagonist. In ... 

Growth Hormone (GH), Growth Hormone-releasing Hormone (GRF), and Growth Hormone Antagonist... 

Numerous other peptides and proteins have been, or are still in development as inhalation products with the objective of systemic absorption. Examples of these are calcitonin, LH-RH antagonists, recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and growth hormone. 

Pegvisomant is a growth hormone receptor antagonist registered for the treatment of patients with acromegaly who had insufficient benefit from surgery or radiation. 

One of the principles of the use of hormones in oncology is based on the fact that the growth of tumors which occur in hormone-sensitive tissues may be inhibited by hormones with opposing actions, by hormone antagonists, or by agents that inhibit the synthesis of the stimulatory hormone. Other hormone treatments are based on less specific antimitotic effects. 

---