SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF SOMATOSTATIN ANALOG - Lanreotide (IPSSTYL) FOR ACROMEGALY

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

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Abstract

Acromegaly causes well-known physical changes and carries an overall 2-3 fold increased mortality which can be decreased by treatment. Transsphenoidal surgery can cure only about two-thirds of patients. Medical therapy consists of bromocriptine and octreotide. Bromocriptine can reduce GH levels to normal in only about 10% of patients. Octreotide can reduce GH and IGF-I levels to normal in over 50% of patients, but must be given by subcutaneous injection 3 or more times daily. Lanreotide is a synthetic octapeptide analog of natural somatostatin with a prolonged half-life. In prior single dose studies with lanreotide in patients with acromegaly, GH levels fell rapidly within 2 hours and remained <5ng/ml for 10-14 days, with a return to pretreatment values by 23 days. It is the purpose of this study to evaluate lanreotide with respect to its efficacy and tolerability in patients who have never received lanreotide before. Of importance is the ability to take an injection once every 10-14 days rather than 3 times a day. This would promote patient adherence and compliance greatly.