Lanreotide Autogel®: A Review of its Use in the Treatment of Patients with Acromegaly

Lanreotide Autogel® (ATG) [Somatuline® Autogel®, Somatuline® Depot®] is a prolonged-release, supersaturated aqueous gel formulation of the somatostatin analogue lanreotide acetate that acts via somatostatin receptors to reduce both growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I levels. It is indicated for the treatment of patients with acromegaly who have had an inadequate response to or cannot be treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy. This article reviews the clinical efficacy and tolerability of lanreotide ATG in the treatment of acromegaly, as well as summarizing its pharmacological properties. Results of clinical trials and extension studies of up to 4 years duration showed that deep subcutaneous lanreotide ATG was a generally effective treatment in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced adults with acromegaly. Lanreotide ATG provided hormonal control and improved both health-related quality of life and acromegaly symptoms in most patients; it also reduced tumour volume to a clinically significant extent in studies of primary therapy. Moreover, lanreotide ATG was generally no less effective than intramuscular lanreotide long-acting microparticles and was as effective as intramuscular octreotide long-acting release in switching or crossover studies, including those with standard or extended dosing intervals. Lanreotide ATG is generally well tolerated; the most frequently reported adverse events were mild or moderate transient gastrointestinal symptoms. Lanreotide ATG also has the advantage of being available in a convenient pre-filled syringe and is given subcutaneously rather than intramuscularly. Thus, lanreotide ATG continues to be a valuable option in the treatment of acromegaly, with potential advantages being ease of administration and longer dosing intervals in patients who have an adequate response to initial therapy.