Results showed that with Saizen therapy, levels of all biomarkers studied significantly changed between baseline and one month in both Turner syndrome (TS) and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) children. Over 1500 genetic markers in 98 candidate genes involved in the control of growth and metabolism pathways, were analyzed for their association with the change in the most sensitive biomarker insulin-like growth factor 1.
Genome-wide expression analysis was performed in GHD and TS children based on their IGF-I levels. Children from the Predict study will be treated and followed up for five years through an observational program currently in progress. First-year results of the Predict long-term follow-up program will be presented in 2009.
Bernhard Kirschbaum, executive vice-president research at Merck Serono, said: “If successful, the program will provide clinicians with an efficient pharmacoprediction model to assess patients’ response to Saizen and allow for stratified medicine: a tailored dose from the start of treatment, which is a key factor in successful growth hormone therapy.”