Drug Discov Ther. 2026;20(3):221-227. (DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2026.01003)
Metabolic and endocrinological effects of weekly growth hormone replacement therapy with somapacitan in patients with adult growth hormone deficiency after switching from daily growth hormone replacement therapy: A real-world exploratory cohort study
Abe I, Kubo K, Fujita Y, Mitsuoka R, Wada T, Ochi K, Takeshita K, Higashi A, Kato T, Kudo T, Shimada H, Imakyure O, Abe M, Mukoubara S, Kobayashi K
The metabolic and endocrinological effects in patients with adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) who switched from daily growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy to weekly GH replacement therapy with somapacitan were evaluated and observed over a long follow-up period. Patients were included only if their medical treatments, aside from GH replacement therapy, remained unchanged. Metabolic and endocrinological parameters were assessed at the time of switching, and at 1- and 2-year follow-up after switching from daily GH replacement therapy to weekly GH replacement therapy with somapacitan. The results showed that the body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), aspartate transaminase (AST), and triglyceride (TG) levels at 1 year after switching significantly improved compared with those at the time of switching (each P < 0.025). At 2 years, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as BMI, FPG, TG, and AST significantly improved compared with those observed at the time of switching (each P < 0.025). In addition, improvement in HOMA-IR at 2 years after switching was significantly associated with improvement in AST. Switching to GH replacement therapy did not affect endocrinological parameters. These findings, which were revealed by the present real-world exploratory cohort study, indicate that weekly GH replacement therapy with somapacitan may confer more beneficial effects than daily GH replacement therapy.
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