Mecasermin

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Mecasermin is a synthetic form of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hormone that stimulates growth in the body. It is used to treat growth failure in children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency or with growth hormone (GH) gene deletion who have developed neutralizing antibodies to growth hormone.

Medical Uses[edit | edit source]

Mecasermin is used to treat growth failure in children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency or with growth hormone gene deletion who have developed neutralizing antibodies to growth hormone. It is not used for growth hormone deficiency, malnutrition, hypothyroidism, or long-term treatment of pediatric patients with growth failure due to genetically confirmed Prader-Willi syndrome.

Pharmacology[edit | edit source]

Mecasermin is a recombinant DNA-derived drug that is identical in sequence to naturally occurring human insulin-like growth factor-1. It binds to the IGF-1 receptor which is present on many cell types in many tissues. This binding promotes cell growth and multiplication, as well as cell survival.

Side Effects[edit | edit source]

Common side effects of mecasermin include hypoglycemia, injection site reactions, lipohypertrophy, tonsillar hypertrophy, and snoring. Serious side effects may include hypoglycemia, intracranial hypertension, and allergic reactions.

History[edit | edit source]

Mecasermin was approved for medical use in the United States in 2005. It is marketed under the brand name Increlex by Ipsen.

See Also[edit | edit source]

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