A Phase 2 Study of PEGylated Recombinant Human Growth Hormone for 52 Weeks in Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age in China.

Objective: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk of health issues. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety and optimal dose of PEGylated-recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH) in these children.

Design: In this multicentre, randomised, open-label, Phase 2 trial conducted at nine clinical sites in China, patients were randomised 1:1 to receive subcutaneous injections of PEG-rhGH at 0.1 mg/kg/week (low dose) or 0.2 mg/kg/week (high dose) for 52 weeks.

Patients: Ninety-six children were born SGA.

Measurements: The primary endpoint was the change in height standard deviation score (HT-SDS) at Week 52.

Results: At Week 52, the change in HT-SDS in the high- and low-dose groups was 0.923 ± 0.352 (p < 0.0001) and 0.511 ± 0.336 (p < 0.0001), respectively (least-squares means difference, 0.410; 95% confidence interval 0.270-0.551; p < 0.0001). Height velocity (9.94 ± 1.55 vs. 8.37 ± 1.50 cm/year) was also significantly higher in the high-dose than in the low-dose group (p < 0.0001). Change in insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 SDS was 1.867 ± 1.747 and 1.168 ± 1.193 in the high- and low-dose groups, respectively (p = 0.0189). IGF-1/IGF binding protein-3 and bone maturity were improved in both groups at Week 52. Most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate; the safety profile was similar in both groups.

Conclusions: PEG-rhGH at either dose for 52 weeks was effective and well tolerated in children born SGA. Patients in the high-dose group achieved greater improvement in HT-SDS than in the low-dose group.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials. gov identifier: NCT02375620.