The Role of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Biosimilars in the Management of Growth Disorders

Abstract

Since ancient times plant and animal tissues have been used as medicines. In the 20th century growth hormone as a purified extraction from human pituitaries was still used to treat growth disorders. Since the genetic engineering of host cells became possible, a new generation of medicines obtained using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology has emerged. These medicines have been named ‘biopharmaceuticals’. The first biopharmaceutical growth hormones were patented in the 1980s, so already over two decades of clinical experience support the development of a new, off-patent growth hormone preparation obtained by rDNA technology. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has put in place a centralised procedure for the approval of new biopharmaceuticals. This procedure includes testing comparability with a reference product and demands post-approval pharmacovigilance. Omnitrope® was the first off-patent recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) approved on the basis of the biosimilar pathway; it underwent a very demanding approval procedure in 2006 and is now used for several indications in Europe, the US, Canada, Japan, Australia and other countries where it has received marketing approval.