Tesamorelin (Egrifta) comes on – what you need to know from buzai232's blog

Last week, Theratechnologies Inc. began marketing a new medicine called tesamorelin (Egrifta)—licensed for the treatment of excess belly fat in some HIV-positive people. Tesamorelin powder causes the body to produce growth hormone and, as a result, most tesamorelin users can lose some degree of belly fat.

Summary

Tesamorelin is a small molecule that stimulates the brain to produce growth hormone. This hormone helps to reduce the amount of fat in the belly of some HIV-positive people. Tesamorelin does not affect the fatty layer just under the skin (subcutaneous fat) in the face or other parts of the body. Prior to prescribing tesamorelin, Health Canada requires physicians to request a CT scan of a patient’s abdomen to confirm the presence of excess belly fat. Tesamorelin is injected under the skin once daily. In clinical trials, participants who had previously lost belly fat while taking tesamorelin had belly fat return when they stopped taking the drug. In Canada, tesamorelin is expected to cost about $3,000 per patient per month.

Some notes on belly fat, growth hormone and HIV

The fat that accumulates within the belly is called visceral fat. In general, among adults, as the amount of belly fat increases, production of growth hormone decreases. Studies from the 1980s and early-to-mid-1990s suggested that some HIV-positive adults produced lower-than-ideal levels of growth hormone. This reduced production of growth hormone led to changes in the composition of the body—an accumulation of belly fat and a loss of some lean tissue (muscle).

About tesamorelin

Tesamorelin is a small molecule (called a peptide). This drug stimulates a gland in the brain, called the pituitary gland, to release growth hormone. Increased production of growth hormone can cause excess belly fat to diminish.

Clinical trials with HIV-positive people

Tesamorelin has been tested in more than 800 HIV-positive people in well-designed clinical trials. Many participants used tesamorelin for between six and 12 months. This usually resulted in a significant decrease in belly fat compared to placebo (fake tesamorelin). There was a small increase in muscle mass among tesamorelin users and no loss of subcutaneous fat. Levels of triglycerides, a fatty substance in the blood, decreased modestly among tesamorelin users.

When participants who had previously received tesamorelin were instead given placebo, all of the beneficial effects of tesamorelin disappeared.

The hormone insulin is used to help regulate blood sugar levels. After initiating therapy with tesamorelin, the body’s ability to respond to insulin may change. During clinical trials, participants who received tesamorelin were more likely to develop elevated levels of blood sugar because their bodies became less sensitive to the effects of insulin. However, among participants who took tesamorelin for up to one year, problems with blood sugar levels generally resolved.