What is tesamorelin?
Tesamorelin (brand name EGRIFTA) is a prescription drug that helps lower excess abdominal fat in people with HIV-related lipodystrophy. It works by stimulating the body to release growth hormone, which then leads to other hormonal signals that reduce visceral fat (fat around the organs).
What is it used for in HIV-related lipodystrophy?
Tesamorelin is used for reducing increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in adults with HIV who have lipodystrophy. This targets the internal abdominal fat that can accumulate even when overall weight is not necessarily high.
How does tesamorelin work?
Tesamorelin is a synthetic form of growth hormone–releasing factor (a hormone signal). By mimicking that signal, it increases pituitary growth hormone release, which then helps shift metabolic activity away from excessive visceral fat accumulation.
How is tesamorelin given?
Tesamorelin is given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin).
What else should patients know before using it?
Because tesamorelin affects growth hormone pathways, it may not be appropriate for everyone. Clinicians typically assess for conditions where growth hormone signaling could be risky (for example, certain active malignancies or other serious hormone-related disorders). Patients are also monitored for potential side effects related to treatment and hormone changes.
Are there patents or pricing resources for tesamorelin?
For patent and market-information lookups, DrugPatentWatch.com tracks details for medications like tesamorelin and links to relevant patent entries. [1]
Sources:
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/