Capromorelin
Encyclopedia
Capromorelin is an investigational medication developed by the Pfizer
drug company.
It functions as a growth hormone secretagogue
and ghrelin
mimetic
which causes the body to secrete human growth hormone in a way usually seen at puberty and in young adulthood. Initial studies have shown the drug to directly raise insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone levels.
The drug is being considered for its therapeutic value in aging adults because elderly people have much lower levels of growth hormone and less lean muscle mass, which can result in weakness and frailty
.
In a one-year treatment trial (starting 1999) with 395 seniors between 65 and 84 years old, patients who received the drug gained an average of 3 lb (1.4 kg) in lean body mass in the first six months and also were better able to walk in a straight line in a test of balance, strength and coordination. After 12 months, patients receiving capromorelin also had an improved ability to climb stairs, however the results were not good enough to continue the trial for the 2nd planned year.
Capromorelin, however, has not been approved by major regulatory bodies such as the World Health Organization
, the European Medicines Agency
or the United States FDA
. In the U.S. at least, approval is not expected to be forthcoming any time soon, because the FDA does not consider aging a disease, and so requires extraordinary evidence of benefit and non-toxicity to approve a drug for use as an anti-aging agent.
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
drug company.
It functions as a growth hormone secretagogue
Secretagogue
A secretagogue is a substance that causes another substance to be secreted. One example is gastrin,, which stimulates the H/K ATPase in the parietal cells...
and ghrelin
Ghrelin
Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid peptide and hormone that is produced mainly by P/D1 cells lining the fundus of the human stomach and epsilon cells of the pancreas that stimulates hunger. Ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after meals. It is considered the counterpart of the hormone...
mimetic
Mimetic
In mathematics, mimesis is the quality of a numerical method which imitates some properties of the continuum problem. The goal of numerical analysis is to approximate the continuum, so instead of solving a partial differential equation one aims to solve a discrete version of the continuum problem...
which causes the body to secrete human growth hormone in a way usually seen at puberty and in young adulthood. Initial studies have shown the drug to directly raise insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone levels.
The drug is being considered for its therapeutic value in aging adults because elderly people have much lower levels of growth hormone and less lean muscle mass, which can result in weakness and frailty
Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with aging...
.
In a one-year treatment trial (starting 1999) with 395 seniors between 65 and 84 years old, patients who received the drug gained an average of 3 lb (1.4 kg) in lean body mass in the first six months and also were better able to walk in a straight line in a test of balance, strength and coordination. After 12 months, patients receiving capromorelin also had an improved ability to climb stairs, however the results were not good enough to continue the trial for the 2nd planned year.
Capromorelin, however, has not been approved by major regulatory bodies such as the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, the European Medicines Agency
European Medicines Agency
The European Medicines Agency is a European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products. From 1995 to 2004, the European Medicines Agency was known as European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.Roughly parallel to the U.S...
or the United States FDA
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
. In the U.S. at least, approval is not expected to be forthcoming any time soon, because the FDA does not consider aging a disease, and so requires extraordinary evidence of benefit and non-toxicity to approve a drug for use as an anti-aging agent.
Researchers
- Pfizer
- Merck
- University of Washington/VA Puget Sound Health Care System: Dr. George Merriam
- University of Poland: Dr. Agnieszka Baranowska-Bik