Acquired hypothalamic obesity (aHO) due to hypothalamic injury or impairment

Active Ingredient: Setmelanotide

Indication for Setmelanotide

Population group: only children (1 year - 12 years old) , adolescents (12 years - 18 years old) , adults (18 years old or older)
Therapeutic intent: Curative procedure

Setmelanotide is indicated for the treatment of obesity and the control of hunger in adults and children 4 years of age and above with acquired hypothalamic obesity (aHO) due to hypothalamic injury or impairment.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

0.5 mg once daily at Week 1, 1 mg once daily at Week 2, 2 mg once daily at Week 3, and 3 mg once daily from Week 4 onward

For:

Dosage regimens

Subcutaneous, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 2 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 3 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Detailed description

The dose titration in the table below should be followed. Dose titration may be performed both upward and downward based on individual tolerability and clinical response. Dose can be reduced to 0.25 mg if needed.

Dose titration in adults:

WeekDaily dose
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if 0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)1 mg once daily
Week 3 (if 1 mg dose is well tolerated)2 mg once daily
Week 4 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 2 mg dose is well tolerated)
3 mg once daily

Missed dose

If a dose is missed, the once daily regimen should be resumed at the dose prescribed with the next scheduled dose.

Elderly

Although no apparent age-related differences have been observed, data obtained from elderly patients is not sufficient to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. There is no evidence indicating any special precautions are required for treating an elderly population.

Dosage considerations

Setmelanotide should be injected once daily, at the beginning of the day (to maximise hunger reduction during awake period), without regard to the timing of meals.

Setmelanotide should be injected subcutaneously in the abdomen, alternating the abdominal area each day.

0.5 mg once daily at Week 1 titrated to 1.5-3 mg once daily from Week 3 onwards based on age and body weight

For:

Dosage regimens

Regimen A, in the case that patient age in years is ≥ 6 :

Disc oral, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, disc oral, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, disc oral, 2 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, disc oral, 3 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Regimen B, in the case that patient age in years is ≥ 4 and patient age in years is < 6 and patient weight is < 20 kg :

Subcutaneous, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Regimen C, in the case that patient age in years is ≥ 4 and patient age in years is < 6 and patient weight is ≥ 20 kg and patient weight is < 25 kg :

Subcutaneous, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 2 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Regimen D, in the case that patient age in years is ≥ 4 and patient age in years is < 6 and patient weight is ≥ 25 kg and patient weight is < 30 kg :

Subcutaneous, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 2 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 2.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Regimen E, in the case that patient age in years is ≥ 4 and patient age in years is < 6 and patient weight is ≥ 30 kg :

Subcutaneous, 0.5 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 1 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 2 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily, over the duration of 1 week. Afterwards, subcutaneous, 3 milligrams setmelanotide, once daily.

Detailed description

Children 6 years of age and above

The dose titration in Table 1 should be followed. Dose titration may be performed both upward and downward based on individual tolerability and clinical response. Dose can be reduced to 0.25 mg if needed.

Table 1. Dose titration in children 6 years of age and above:

WeekDaily dose
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if 0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)1 mg once daily
Week 3 (if 1 mg dose is well tolerated)2 mg once daily
Week 4 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 2 mg dose is well tolerated)
3 mg once daily

Children from 4 to less than 6 years of age

The dose titration in Table 2 should be followed depending upon patient weight. Dose titration may be performed both upward and downward based on individual tolerability and clinical response. Dose can be reduced to 0.25 mg if needed.

Table 2. Dose titration in children from 4 to less than 6 years of age:

Patient weight/treatment weekDaily dose
<20 kg
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if clinical response is insufficient and
0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
1 mg once daily
Week 3 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 1 mg dose is well tolerated)
1.5 mg once daily
20 - <25 kg
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if clinical response is insufficient and
0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
1 mg once daily
Week 3 (if clinical response is insufficient and
1 mg dose is well tolerated)
1.5 mg once daily
Week 4 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 1.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
2 mg once daily
25 - <30 kg
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if clinical response is insufficient and
0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
1 mg once daily
Week 3 (if clinical response is insufficient and
1 mg dose is well tolerated)
1.5 mg once daily
Week 4 (if clinical response is insufficient and
1.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
2 mg once daily
Week 5 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 2 mg dose is well tolerated)
2.5 mg once daily
≥30 kg
Week 10.5 mg once daily
Week 2 (if clinical response is insufficient and
0.5 mg dose is well tolerated)
1 mg once daily
Week 3 (if clinical response is insufficient and
1 mg dose is well tolerated)
2 mg once daily
Week 4 and onward (if clinical response is
insufficient and 2 mg dose is well tolerated)
3 mg once daily

Missed dose

If a dose is missed, the once daily regimen should be resumed at the dose prescribed with the next scheduled dose.

Dosage considerations

Setmelanotide should be injected once daily, at the beginning of the day (to maximise hunger reduction during awake period), without regard to the timing of meals.

Setmelanotide should be injected subcutaneously in the abdomen, alternating the abdominal area each day.

Active ingredient

Setmelanotide

Setmelanotide is a selective MC4 receptor agonist. MC4 receptors in the brain are involved in regulation of hunger, satiety, and energy expenditure. In genetic forms of obesity associated with insufficient activation of the MC4 receptor, setmelanotide is believed to re-establish MC4 receptor pathway activity to reduce hunger and promote weight loss through decreased caloric intake and increased energy expenditure.

Read more about Setmelanotide

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