Serono launches Zorbtive for treatment of short bowel syndrome

Serono, Inc., the US affiliate of Swiss biotech company Serono, has launched Zorbtive [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] for use in the treatment of patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) to reduce the reliance on parenteral nutrition.

Results from a pivotal clinical trial showed that a four-week regimen of Zorbtive, given in conjunction with specialised nutritional support, could significantly reduce a person's dependence on intravenous feeding as measured by total volume, total calories and frequency of infusion. Patients taking Zorbtive and a supplemented specialised diet reduced the average number of days they had to use intravenous nutrition by 4.2 days per week versus baseline. Additionally, the proportion of patients who were able to completely discontinue intravenous feeding was greater among those who received Zorbtive. Results persisted at the 12-week post-treatment follow-up assessment.

'Many patients with SBS receive their basic nourishment by parenteral nutrition,' says Dr Kareem M. Abu-Elmagd, Professor of Surgery, Director of The Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Center at the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 'Reduction in dependence on parenteral nutrition is an important therapeutic goal for patients. Treatment with Zorbtive may help to achieve this.'

Zorbtive is the only drug product approved by the US FDA specifically for the treatment of SBS in patients receiving specialised nutritional support, and was granted a seven-year orphan drug exclusivity.