Growth hormone-releasing factor agonists for the treatment of HIV-associated lipodystrophy.

Abstract

HIV-associated lipodystrophy characterized by body composition changes and associated metabolic abnormalities, including dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, is a major challenge in the treatment of HIV infection. Growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) analogs with greater stability than the natural hormone can induce growth hormone secretion in a physiological manner, and appear to be promising candidate therapies for these conditions. The most promising GRF agonist in development is tesamorelin (EMD Serono/Theratechnologies), which has exhibited efficacy for the treatment of excess visceral adipose tissue in patients with HIV infection in two recent phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Additional long-term outcome trials are required to determine the long-term safety of tesamorelin and to evaluate whether this agent, or other GRF agonists, could reduce the cardiovascular risk associated with lipodystrophy-related metabolic complications and help to maintain a more normal distribution of body fat.

• Authors: Miao Hu, Brian Tomlinson
• Journal: Current opinion in investigational drugs (London, England : 2000) (Curr Opin Investig Drugs) Vol. 11 Issue 10 Pg. 1143-50 (Oct 2010) ISSN: 2040-3429 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 20872317 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Growth Hormone
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
• tesamorelin

Topics

• Drug Interactions
• Growth Hormone (metabolism)
• Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (adverse effects, agonists, analogs & derivatives, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• HIV (drug effects)
• HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome (drug therapy)
• Humans