Mecasermin

Mecasermin is recombinant human IGF-1 approved as subcutaneous Increlex for a narrow pediatric severe-primary-IGF-1-deficiency indication. It is not a general height, adult-wellness, or muscle drug.

tier S · growth hormone · 8.0 cm/year mean first-year velocity in the pooled severe-deficiency program

verdict

Subcutaneous mecasermin increases growth velocity in children who meet the severe-primary-IGF-1-deficiency or GH-antibody indication. The mostly open-label disease-specific evidence does not support ordinary short stature, adult height gain, bodybuilding, anti-aging, or IGF-1 LR3.

the core tension

Mecasermin has direct replacement evidence in a narrowly defined, severely deficient pediatric population. That strength disappears when the claim shifts to normal IGF-1 physiology, closed epiphyses, adult muscle, or a different analog such as IGF-1 LR3.

what it is

Mecasermin is recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1, or rhIGF-1, a 70-amino-acid protein. Do not merge it with IGF-1 LR3, mecasermin rinfabate, insulin, growth hormone, or an unverified product called IGF-1.

what it does

It activates the IGF-1 receptor and supports growth signaling and glucose uptake. The same insulin-like biology that supports growth in a deficient child also explains the central hypoglycemia risk.

origin

Current FDA Increlex label 021839s033 and the current DailyMed label control the indication and safety copy. The seed-plan 021839s031 label is superseded and is retained only as provenance.

does it work

The pooled program and long-term study found a large first-year growth-velocity increase in children with severe IGF-1 deficiency, followed by smaller annual velocities with shrinking denominators. Most evidence was open-label or single-arm and does not establish a general enhancement effect.

key facts

• molecular formula: not assigned as one small-molecule formula for this 70-amino-acid biologic
• molecular weight: approximately 7,649 Da
• amino acids: 70 amino acids
• half-life: 5.8 h after the specified subcutaneous Increlex exposure in a three-child cohort
• type: recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 biologic
• CAS: 68562-41-4; FDA SRS also associates 67763-96-6 with the broader IGF-1 record
• 71 pediatric subjects in the pooled label clinical set
• 8.0 cm/year mean first-year velocity in the principal long-term record
• 30/71 subjects with hypoglycemia in the label clinical set

frequently asked questions

Is mecasermin the same as IGF-1 LR3?

No. Mecasermin is recombinant human IGF-1. IGF-1 LR3 is an engineered analog and cannot inherit Increlex identity, approval, PK, efficacy, or safety.

Who is Increlex approved for?

The current label covers patients age 2 years and older with growth failure from severe primary IGF-1 deficiency or a GH-gene deletion with neutralizing GH antibodies.

Can it increase adult height after growth plates close?

No. Closed epiphyses are a contraindication, and the evidence comes from severely deficient children with remaining growth potential.

What is its human half-life?

The current label reports 5.8 hours after a specified subcutaneous exposure in only three children at that cohort level. The disease-specific measurement does not transfer to IGF-1 LR3 or rinfabate.

Does the label prove mecasermin causes cancer in people?

No. It reports malignant-neoplasia cases and rat tumor findings while saying the relationship to treatment is unknown. Those records do not provide a quantitative human cancer-risk estimate.

related peptides

• igf-1 lr3: The mecasermin evidence cited on this page does not establish identity, approval, PK, or outcomes for IGF-1 LR3.
• Ibutamoren: The mecasermin evidence cited on this page does not establish ibutamoren's identity, mechanism, approval, or outcomes.

reptides grades the research record and cites the literature behind every call. research reference only; not medical advice.