Reduced Effectiveness and Comparable Safety in Biweekly vs. Weekly PEGylated Recombinant Human Growth Hormone for Children With Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Phase IV Non-Inferiority Threshold Targeted Trial.

Abstract

Context:

Long-acting recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has transformed growth hormone deficiency (GHD) treatment. However, the possibility and rationality for flexible time regimen are pending.

Objective:

We studied the efficacy of biweekly versus weekly PEGylated rhGH (PEG-rhGH) therapy in GHD children.

Design Setting and Patients:

This multicenter, phase IV trial with a non-inferiority threshold ≥20% enrolled 585 Tanner stage I GHD children.

Intervention:

Subjects randomly received 0.20 mg/kg once-weekly or biweekly PEG-rhGH, or 0.25 mg/kg.w rhGH once daily for 26 weeks.

Main Outcome Measure:

The primary outcome was height SD scores for chronological age (HtSDSCA) at week 26 and safety measurements including adverse events (AEs), IGF-2, and IGFBP-2 changes.

Results:

At week 26, the median HtSDSCA changed from -2.75, -2.82, and -2.78 to -2.31, -2.43, and -2.28 with weekly and biweekly PEG-rhGH, and daily rhGH, respectively. The difference in HtSDSCA was 0.17 ± 0.28 between weekly and biweekly PEG-rhGH, and 0.17 ± 0.27 between daily rhGH and biweekly PEG-rhGH, failing the non-inferiority threshold. Nevertheless, the height velocity of children receiving biweekly PEG-rhGH reached 76.42%-90.34% and 76.08%-90.60% that of children receiving weekly PEG-rhGH and daily rhGH, respectively. The rate of AEs was comparable among the groups. No statistical difference was observed in IGF-2 and IGFBP-2 levels among the groups. IGFBP-2 levels decreased over time in all groups, with no notable difference in IGF-2 and IGFBP-2 changes among the three treatment groups.

Conclusions:

Although notably promoted height velocity, biweekly PEG-rhGH failed the non-inferiority threshold as compared with either weekly PEG-rhGH or daily rhGH. Compared with short-term rhGH, long-acting PEG-rhGH did not significantly increase tumor-associated IGF-2 and IGFBP-2 expressions.

Clinical Trial Registration:

clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02976675.

• Authors: Chengjun Sun, Biao Lu, Yu Liu, Yaqin Zhang, Haiyan Wei, Xu Hu, Pei Hu, Qian Zhao, Yanling Liu, Kan Ye, Kan Wang, Zaiyan Gu, Zheng Liu, Jin Ye, Hongxiao Zhang, Hong Zhu, Zhihong Jiang, Yanjie Liu, Naijun Wan, Chengming Yan, Jianying Yin, Lirong Ying, Feng Huang, Qingjin Yin, Li Xi, Feihong Luo, Ruoqian Cheng
• Journal: Frontiers in endocrinology (Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)) Vol. 12 Pg. 779365 ( 2021) ISSN: 1664-2392 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 34899612 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase IV, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Sun, Lu, Liu, Zhang, Wei, Hu, Hu, Zhao, Liu, Ye, Wang, Gu, Liu, Ye, Zhang, Zhu, Jiang, Liu, Wan, Yan, Yin, Ying, Huang, Yin, Xi, Luo and Cheng.

Chemical References

• Recombinant Proteins
• Human Growth Hormone
• Polyethylene Glycols

Topics

• Child
• Child, Preschool
• China
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Dwarfism, Pituitary (drug therapy)
• Equivalence Trials as Topic
• Female
• Growth Disorders (drug therapy)
• Human Growth Hormone (administration & dosage, adverse effects, deficiency)
• Humans
• Male
• Polyethylene Glycols (chemistry)
• Recombinant Proteins (administration & dosage, adverse effects, chemistry)
• Treatment Outcome