setmelanotide: prescribing and clinical use
Focused clinical detail for use alongside current product information, local policy and patient-specific assessment.
setmelanotide: clinical details
Prescribing considerations
- Confirm the relevant genetic diagnosis or hypothalamic injury or impairment.
- Prescribing and supervision require expertise in rare genetic or hypothalamic obesity.
- Assess response, adverse effects and mental health throughout treatment.
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypersensitivity to setmelanotide or any excipient.
- Do not administer in end-stage renal disease or hepatic impairment.
Monitoring
- Full-body skin examination before treatment and annually thereafter for new or changing pigmented lesions.
- Heart rate, blood pressure, depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviour at clinical reviews.
- Renal function and treatment tolerability.
Clinical pharmacology
Setmelanotide is a selective melanocortin-4 receptor agonist. It restores signalling involved in satiety, hunger and energy expenditure; melanocortin-1 receptor activity accounts for pigmentation.
Formulation and product differences
- The selected product is a clear to slightly opalescent multidose solution for subcutaneous injection.
- It contains benzyl alcohol and is essentially sodium-free.
- Store refrigerated and protected from light. Do not freeze, shake or mix with other medicines.
setmelanotide preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 10 mg/mL
setmelanotide interactions
Formal interaction studies have not been performed, though laboratory data suggest low potential for common pharmacokinetic interactions. Tell the specialist about all prescribed, non-prescribed and herbal products. Medicines affected by changes in body weight, metabolism, cortisol or nutritional status may need closer review.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.