SOM230: a new therapeutic modality for Cushing's disease.

A rational drug design approach involving transposition of functional groups from SRIF into a reduced size cyclohexapeptide template has led to the discovery of SOM230, a novel, stable cyclohexapeptide somatostatin mimic which exhibits unique high affinity binding to human somatostatin receptors (sst1-5). This unique receptor subtype binding profile, in particular the exceptional high affinity binding to sst5, led to SOM230 being approved by EMEA and FDA in 2012 as the first effective pituitary directed therapeutic modality for Cushing's disease.

A novel somatostatin mimic with broad somatotropin release inhibitory factor receptor binding and superior therapeutic potential.

A rational drug design approach, capitalizing on structure-activity relationships and involving transposition of functional groups from somatotropin release inhibitory factor (SRIF) into a reduced size cyclohexapeptide template, has led to the discovery of SOM230 (25), a novel, stable cyclohexapeptide somatostatin mimic that exhibits unique high-affinity binding to human somatostatin receptors (subtypes sst1-sst5). SOM230 has potent, long-lasting inhibitory effects on growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 release and is a promising development candidate currently under evaluation in phase I clinical trials.