Saizen is a commercial preparation of synthetic somatropin (

growth hormone Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in ...

, a.k.a. GH). Manufactured by

Merck Serono Merck Serono (EMD Serono in the United States and Canada) is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, and a brand and division of Merck focused on biopharmaceuticals. In September 2006, Merck KGaA announced its intent to ...

, Saizen is produced by

recombinant DNA Recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecules are DNA molecules formed by laboratory methods of genetic recombination (such as molecular cloning) that bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be fou ...

technology from a mammalian

cell line An immortalised cell line is a population of cells from a multicellular organism which would normally not proliferate indefinitely but, due to mutation, have evaded normal cellular senescence and instead can keep undergoing division. The cel ...

(mouse C127) that was modified by the addition of the human GH

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

, resulting in an identical 191-

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha ...

sequence and structure.

Usage

Saizen is injected. It is intended for long-term treatment of individuals who are growth hormone deficient. Saizen, like all synthetic somatropin, has special importance for children and adolescents whose growth failure is due to inadequate production of growth hormone. Studies have shown that somatropin usage fails to produce athletic performance enhancement despite claims to the contrary. More recently, Saizen has been used in IVF protocols by a few physicians for female patients undergoing

infertility Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal st ...

treatment in an attempt to increase the number and quality of oocytes retrieved. It affects: *Tissue growth **Skeletal growth **Cell growth (especially muscle growth) **Organ growth *Metabolism **Protein metabolism **Carbohydrate metabolism **Lipid metabolism **Mineral metabolism **Connective tissue and bone metabolism Saizen usage should be performed under the regular guidance of a physician who is experienced in the diagnosis and management of

growth hormone deficiency Growth hormone deficiency (GHD), or human growth hormone deficiency, is a medical condition resulting from not enough growth hormone (GH). Generally the most noticeable symptom is that an individual attains a short height. Newborns may also prese ...

. Individuals with inadequate secretion of growth hormone sometimes experience fasting

hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, is a fall in blood sugar to levels below normal, typically below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Whipple's triad is used to properly identify hypoglycemic episodes. It is defined as blood glucose be ...

that is improved by treatment with growth hormone. Using Saizen may decrease

glucose Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula . Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, usi ...

tolerance. Because human growth hormone may induce a state of

insulin Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabol ...

resistance, patients should be observed for evidence of glucose intolerance. As with all human growth hormone supplementation, Saizen should be used with caution in patients with

diabetes mellitus Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

or a family history of diabetes mellitus.

External links

* {{Portal bar , Medicine Growth hormones Merck brands

Usage

See also

External links