Sandoz, a global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, announced on Sunday the introduction of its 15mg/1.5ml concentration of the OMNITROPE biosimilar growth hormone to the Egyptian market for the treatment of short stature. This initiative aligns with Sandoz's ongoing efforts to support Egypt's Vision 2030 and local healthcare authorities' commitment to enhancing public health. The company stated that the newly available concentration aims to help expand access to growth hormone, noting that an estimated 17% of Egyptian children suffer from short stature. Research conducted at Suez Canal University's endocrinology outpatient clinic, released in 2024, indicated that growth hormone treatment significantly improves physical, social, psychological, and environmental quality of life. Dr. Mona Salem, Professor of Paediatric Endocrinology at Ain Shams University and President of the Egyptian Society of Paediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes, said: "In children and adolescents, growth hormone is used to treat growth disturbance due to insufficient secretion of growth hormone, associated with Turner syndrome, with chronic renal insufficiency, in short children/adolescents born small for gestational age, or associated with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). The biosynthetic/synthetic hormone is indicated for the treatment of children with growth failure due to inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone (GH)." Dr. Salem added, "Short stature is diagnosed in children or adolescents who are well below the average height for their age and gender, which may be due to genetic factors or underlying health conditions. Studies show that short stature prevalence varies geographically, with a genetic predisposition, as well as nutritional and environmental factors, playing an important role." A cross-sectional study conducted between January 2018 and January 2020 involving 33,150 Egyptian children aged 6 to 11 showed that 17% of the sample had short stature, with 40.8% attributed to familial factors and 24.2% to constitutional causes. Dr. Rasha Tarif, Head of the Paediatric Endocrinology Unit at Ain Shams University and Chair of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) Education and Training Committee, stated: "As noted, short stature affects children and adolescents, not only physically but also psychologically. Growth hormone is one of the most effective treatments for the aforementioned growth disturbances. The dosage is carefully calculated based on weight, underlying cause, puberty stage, as well as stimulated growth hormone test results, to achieve the best possible final height outcomes." Dr. Tarif emphasised that young patients require therapeutic intervention before growth plates fuse, after which height cannot be gained. She added, "Growth hormone plays a critical role in effective treatment plans, but ensuring its availability has been a challenge in recent years. This challenge is being addressed through ongoing efforts to secure sufficient quantities to ensure uninterrupted treatment until puberty is complete, and in some cases, for life. Treatment continuity, along with proper follow-up with a specialized physician, is essential for achieving optimal results." Sandoz said the new concentration is being made available at an affordable cost, expanding treatment options and aiming for better patient response and an effective, safe treatment journey by minimising interruptions. The company stated that securing the reliable availability of this human growth hormone reinforces medical efforts to provide comprehensive care. Sameh Elbagoury, Sandoz Egypt Country Head, said: "The Egyptian government, within the context of the Egypt Vision 2030, has shown strong commitment to reducing the prevalence of short stature among children, aiming to improve public health for current and future generations, and help build a healthier, more productive workforce, in line with the national vision for sustainable development." Elbagoury added: "Our top priority at Sandoz is to develop affordable biosimilars for high-quality biologics and ensure that as many patients as possible have access to them. Introducing the 15mg concentration of our well-established Omnitrope growth hormone allows us to help local authorities meet the increase in demand for growth hormones, reflecting the positive impact and notable success achieved by the Presidential Initiative for the Early Detection of Anaemia, Obesity and Short Stature." Sandoz Omnitrope received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency in 2006, with subsequent approvals in other countries. Sandoz has also established a long-term, post-marketing surveillance programme for the product.
