Growth Hormone Double Blind Hematopoiesis Study
Surrey, UK –
It is always nice to see patented concepts verified by scientific publications, especially when it is in clinical trials settings.
Readers of StemCellPatents.com will know that US patent # 6348444 assigned to Applied Research Systems ARS Holding N.V. (A wholly owned subsidiary of Serono) covers methods of augmenting hematopoiesis using human growth hormone.
In a recent paper (Sirohi B et al. Use of physiological doses of human growth hormone in haematological patients receiving intensive chemotherapy promotes haematopoietic recovery: a double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled study. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2006 Dec 4) it was reported at administration of growth hormone to patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for various leukemias and lymphomas caused a significantly faster platelet recovery (16 versus 19 days) as compared to placebo controls in a double-blind study. Treatment lasted for 6 weeks, was well-tolerated, and was not associated with anthropometric changes.
Rapid platelet recovery, and general immune system recovery after intensive chemotherapy, as well as hematopoietic stem cell transplants, is essential in order to prevent bleeding and infections, respectively. This publication not only suggests that growth hormone may be useful in this respect, but also opens the possibility of using growth hormone in combination with agents capable of mobilizing stem cells so as to redistribute the stem cell compartment for regenerative purposes. Known inducers of stem cell redistribution include nicotine receptor agonists .
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2 Comments | Add Comment
SSlavin said...
Maybe it accelerates neurogenesis, but did YOU know that growth hormone is the first approved biogeneric by the EMEA?
Sandoz's version of Growth Hormone was approved in Europe despite Pfizer's original monopoly on it. It would be interesting if Serono actually went in and used the patent on growth hormone for staking out its own niche in the hematopoiesis market.
What I wonder is how much more effective is growth hormone, than say G-CSF, for stimulation of hematopoietic reconstitution after marrow ablation? I mean, in comparison to the 16 (treated) versus 19 days (control) until platelet recovery that the paper described???
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John said...
Did you know that growth hormone accelerates neurogenesis?
Lichtenwalner et al. Adult-onset deficiency in growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I decreases survival of dentate granule neurons: insights into the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis.J Neurosci Res. 2006 Feb 1;83(2):199-210.