By Fineline Cube 
Denmark-based Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) has announced that its long-acting somatotropin Sogroya (somapacitan) has been approved for use as a clinically urgent drug at the Boao Worldlight Hospital in China’s Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. This approval allows the drug to be used as a substitute for endogenous growth hormone in children and adolescents aged 3 years and above with growth hormone deficiency-induced growth retardation.
Drug Profile and Benefits
Sogroya is a long-acting growth hormone that significantly reduces the number of injections required during treatment compared to existing daily therapies. Patients using Sogroya will need only 52 injections per year, down from 365 with traditional daily treatments. This improvement greatly enhances treatment convenience and adherence for patients.
Market and Regulatory Context
The market filing for Sogroya was accepted for review by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in September last year. Its introduction in the Boao Lecheng zone marks the first time a pediatric growth hormone supported by special medical policies has been made available in the region.-Fineline Info & Tech