April 2026 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 7

// APPROVALS //


FDA approves once-weekly Sogroya for wider paediatric use

Novo Nordisk has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for three new indications for its once-weekly growth hormone Sogroya, expanding its use to children aged 2.5 years and older with idiopathic short stature, those born small for gestational age without catch-up growth by age two, and those with growth failure linked to Noonan syndrome.

Image

The company said the decision broadens treatment options for families and clinicians while offering an alternative to daily injections, which can be difficult to maintain.

Nicky Kelepouris, Rare Endocrine Disorders-US Medical Lead, said: “Daily injections have defined the growth disorder treatment paradigm for more than 40 years.

“Our scientific leadership and focus on advancing care in rare diseases led us to the development of Sogroya – a once weekly growth hormone therapy – which may help address the challenge of daily injections while offering patients and families a therapeutic option that delivers efficacy and safety.”

Kelepouris added: “These new approvals expand the patient populations that can be helped by Sogroya and reflect our strategic focus on delivering meaningful, evidence-based innovation for children living with growth disorders.”

The company highlighted that adherence to 365 injections a year can be challenging for children and caregivers. Dr Aristides Maniatis, Founder of Rocky Mountain Pediatric Endocrinology and a trial investigator, said: “Families and healthcare professionals now have the option to consider a once-weekly growth hormone as treatment with 313 injection free days per year for their children 2.5 years and older with ISS, NS and born SGA.” He added: “Sogroya is an effective alternative to daily injections that supports children’s growth goals and may help fit into their routine.”

The approvals are supported by the REAL8 study, which showed Sogroya was non-inferior to daily growth hormone therapy across all three indications.


MHRA approves imlunestrant tosylate as new breast cancer treatment

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved imlunestrant tosylate, branded as Inluriyo, for adults with a specific type of breast cancer that is locally advanced or metastatic and has not responded, or has progressed, after at least one line of hormonal therapy.

The treatment is indicated for cancers that are oestrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative, and can only be used in patients with certain ESR1 gene mutations.

Oestrogen receptors are proteins that activate when the hormone binds to them, which in some cases can drive cancer cell growth.Imlunestrant binds to these receptors, breaking them down and preventing them from functioning.

By blocking and destroying oestrogen receptors, the medicine can slow the growth and spread of breast cancer and help kill cancer cells.Inluriyo is taken once daily as an oral tablet.

Julian Beach, Interim Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access at the MHRA, said: “Patient safety is our top priority.”

He added: “The approval of imlunestrant tosylate (Inluriyo) provides a new treatment for adults with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer after prior hormone treatment hasn’t been effective. As with all licensed medicines, we will continue to monitor its safety closely as it becomes more widely used.”

Common side effects include increased liver enzymes, tiredness, joint, bone and muscle pain, diarrhoea, raised triglycerides, nausea and back pain.

A full list of side effects will be available in the Patient Information Leaflet and the Summary of Product Characteristics, which will be published on the MHRA website within seven days of approval.