Somapacitan
Pronunciation: so-ma-PAS-i-tan.
- Generic name
- somapacitan
- Brand names
- Sogroya
- Drug class
- Long-acting recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin) analogue
- Form
- Solution for injection, pre-filled pen (5 mg/1.5 mL, 10 mg/1.5 mL, 15 mg/1.5 mL)
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection
- Legal status
- Prescription-only
Availability and supply rules vary by country
Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia
Australia: Sogroya (5) · Full directory
What somapacitan is and how it works
Somapacitan is a prescription-only, long-acting growth hormone medicine given once a week by injection under the skin. It replaces a growth hormone the body is not making enough of. (1)
Take somapacitan exactly as your endocrinologist or prescriber directs, on the same day each week. Your exact dose is individually worked out and adjusted over time based on blood tests and your response -- it is not a fixed dose for everyone.
Mechanism of action: how somapacitan works
Somapacitan is a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone analogue with an albumin-binding moiety that prolongs its action, allowing once-weekly dosing; it binds dimeric growth hormone receptors and mediates its effects through intracellular signalling and IGF-1 production. (1)
What somapacitan is used for
Adult growth hormone deficiency
Used to replace growth hormone in adults whose bodies do not produce enough of it (adult growth hormone deficiency). (1) (2)
Pediatric growth failure due to growth hormone deficiency
Used in children aged 2.5 years and older (age threshold varies slightly by country) with growth failure caused by inadequate growth hormone. In the United States it is also used for short stature in children born small for gestational age without catch-up growth, growth failure associated with Noonan syndrome, and idiopathic short stature. (1) (2)
Before taking somapacitan
Do not take / not appropriate for
- Do not use somapacitan if you have an active cancer (malignancy). (all countries) (1)
- Do not use somapacitan during acute critical illness, such as complications following open-heart or abdominal surgery, multiple trauma from an accident, or acute respiratory (breathing) failure. (all countries) (1)
- Do not use somapacitan if you have had a serious allergic reaction to it or any of its ingredients. (all countries) (1)
- Do not use somapacitan if you have active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy). (all countries) (1)
- Somapacitan should not be used for growth promotion in children whose growth plates have already closed, or in severely obese children with Prader-Willi syndrome or severe breathing problems. (pediatric patients) (1)
Tell your clinician about
- Any personal history of cancer, or any brain tumour treated with radiation in childhood.
- Diabetes, prediabetes, or a family history of diabetes, since somapacitan can affect blood sugar control.
- Any history of severe headaches with vision changes, or thyroid or adrenal gland problems.
- For children: any limp, hip or knee pain, or history of scoliosis.
- All other medicines you take, including corticosteroids, oral estrogen, insulin, or other diabetes medicines.
- Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
How to take somapacitan
- Inject under the skin (upper arm, thigh, abdomen, or buttocks) once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day.
- Rotate your injection site each week to help prevent skin/fat changes.
- If you miss your weekly dose, you may still take it within 3 days of your scheduled day -- ask your prescriber if more than 3 days have passed.
Procedures and treatment changes
Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Missed dose
If you miss your weekly injection, you may still take it within 3 days of your usual scheduled day. If more than 3 days have passed, contact your prescriber for guidance rather than doubling a later dose.
Overdose
Contact your prescriber or seek urgent medical attention if you think you have used too much somapacitan, or if you develop symptoms such as low blood sugar or unusual swelling. (1)
Side effects
Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.
Back pain, joint pain (arthralgia), and indigestion.
What to notice: Back pain, joint pain (arthralgia), and indigestion.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Sleep disturbance and dizziness.
What to notice: Sleep disturbance and dizziness.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Swelling in the arms or legs (peripheral edema) and weight increase.
What to notice: Swelling in the arms or legs (peripheral edema) and weight increase.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Injection site reactions.
What to notice: Injection site reactions.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
In children: cough, diarrhoea, ear infection, headache, fever, and respiratory tract infections.
What to notice: In children: cough, diarrhoea, ear infection, headache, fever, and respiratory tract infections.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Serious warnings
Signs of a serious allergic reaction — emergency
Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives.
Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately. (1)
Severe headache with vision changes (intracranial hypertension) — emergency
Symptoms: Severe headache, nausea, vomiting, or visual disturbances.
Action: Seek prompt medical attention; a clinician will examine your eyes and decide whether treatment needs to be adjusted. (1)
New or worsening high blood sugar — high caution
Symptoms: Increased thirst, frequent urination, or unusually high blood sugar readings.
Action: Tell your prescriber promptly; blood sugar and diabetes medicine doses are monitored and adjusted as needed during treatment. (1)
Signs of hip or knee problems (children) — high caution
Symptoms: New limp, or hip or knee pain in a child taking somapacitan.
Action: Contact the prescriber promptly for evaluation, as this can signal a slipped growth-plate condition needing assessment. (1)
Severe abdominal pain (possible pancreatitis) — emergency
Symptoms: Persistent, severe abdominal pain, sometimes with nausea or vomiting.
Action: Seek prompt medical attention. (1)
Interactions
- Corticosteroid (glucocorticoid) replacement medicines may need a dose increase after starting somapacitan -- tell your prescriber about any steroid medicine you take. (1)
- Somapacitan can change how the body processes some other medicines (including certain steroids, sex hormones, seizure medicines, and ciclosporin) -- tell your prescriber about all medicines you take so they can monitor for this. (1)
- Oral estrogen (including some contraceptives and hormone therapy) may mean a higher somapacitan dose is needed. (1)
- Insulin and other diabetes medicines may need dose adjustment, since somapacitan can affect blood sugar control. (1)
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age
Pregnancy
There is no human pregnancy data available. Animal studies at high doses did not show evidence of harm to the developing baby, but this has not been confirmed in humans -- discuss with your prescriber. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Breastfeeding
It is not known whether somapacitan passes into human breast milk. Discuss the benefits and risks with your prescriber. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Children
Used from age 2.5 years in the United States and age 3 in the European Union/United Kingdom for growth hormone deficiency, with additional US indications for certain other growth conditions; dosing is weight-based and monitored by a specialist for effects on growth plates, hip/knee joints, and scoliosis. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Elderly
Adults aged 65 and older typically start at a lower dose (1 mg weekly) with smaller increases, since they may have higher drug exposure and greater sensitivity. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Hepatic_impairment
Moderate liver impairment: start at a lower dose (1 mg weekly, maximum 4 mg weekly) -- tell your prescriber about any liver problems. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Renal_impairment
Not specifically detailed in the source reviewed for this dossier; tell your prescriber about any kidney problems. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Source_ids
Monitoring
Before starting
- Baseline IGF-1 level
- Eye examination (fundoscopy)
- Blood sugar and thyroid function
- Review of other medicines, including steroids and oral estrogen
During treatment
- Periodic IGF-1 blood tests to guide dose adjustments.
- Blood sugar monitoring, particularly if you have diabetes or risk factors for it.
- Periodic thyroid and cortisol (adrenal) checks.
- Eye examinations if headache or vision symptoms occur.
- In children: monitoring of growth, hips/knees, and spine curvature.
- Watching injection sites for skin/fat changes.
Storage
Refrigerate unopened pens at 36-46°F (2-8°C); do not freeze. Once in use, keep refrigerated and use within 6 weeks, or it may be kept at room temperature (up to 77°F/25°C) for a maximum of 72 hours. Discard if exposed to temperatures above 86°F (30°C) or if it has been frozen.
Professional information
Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA prescribing information; verify against the current full label before prescribing.
United States
Indication: Adult and pediatric growth hormone deficiency and related growth conditions
Dose summary: Adult GHD: initiate 1.5 mg SC once weekly (1 mg if age 65+ or moderate hepatic impairment; 2 mg if on oral estrogen); titrate every 2-4 weeks by approx. 0.5-1.5 mg based on clinical response and serum IGF-1; maximum 8 mg once weekly. Pediatric GHD: initiate 0.16 mg/kg once weekly. Pediatric SGA/Noonan/idiopathic short stature: initiate 0.24 mg/kg once weekly. Individualised titration in all cases.
Renal context: Not established in the source reviewed for this dossier. (1)
Hepatic guidance
Moderate hepatic impairment: initiate at a lower dose (1 mg weekly) with a lower maximum (4 mg weekly); monitor closely.
Overdose note
Overdose data are limited in the source reviewed; manage per general growth-hormone overdose principles, including monitoring for hypoglycaemia and fluid retention, and local poison-control guidance. (1)
Frequently asked questions
Is somapacitan (Sogroya) available in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia?
Yes, it is approved in all of these regions. New Zealand availability could not be confirmed from an official Medsafe record at the time this page was written. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Why is somapacitan only given once a week instead of daily like older growth hormone treatments?
Somapacitan has an added albumin-binding part that makes it last much longer in the body, so a once-weekly injection can maintain a steady effect, unlike older growth hormone products that need daily injections. (1)
Who should not take somapacitan?
Somapacitan should not be used if you have an active cancer, are critically ill after major heart or abdominal surgery, major trauma, or acute respiratory failure, or have active or severe diabetic eye disease. Children with closed growth plates should not receive it to promote height, and children with Prader-Willi syndrome and severe obesity or breathing problems should not receive it either. Your prescriber will screen for these before starting treatment. (1)
What is the mechanism of action of somapacitan?
Somapacitan is a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone analogue with an albumin-binding moiety that prolongs its action, allowing once-weekly dosing; it binds dimeric growth hormone receptors and mediates its effects through intracellular signalling and IGF-1 production. (1)
What is the generic name of Somapacitan?
The generic name is somapacitan. It is sold under brand names including Sogroya. (1)
What class of drug is somapacitan?
Somapacitan is classed as: Long-acting recombinant human growth hormone (somatropin) analogue. (1)
References
- SOGROYA (somapacitan-beco) injection -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information, Novo Nordisk Inc. · United States · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 1
- Sogroya -- European Public Assessment Report (EPAR) product information and medicine overviewEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) · European Union · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 2
- Sogroya 10 mg/1.5 mL and 15 mg/1.5 mL solution for injection in pre-filled pen -- Summary of Product Characteristicselectronic medicines compendium (emc), United Kingdom -- Novo Nordisk Limited · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 3
- Sogroya (somapacitan injection) Product MonographHealth Canada product monograph · Canada · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 4
- Sogroya -- AusPAR (Australian Public Assessment Report) and ARTG registrationTherapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia · Australia · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 5
- No Medsafe-approved data sheet or ARTG-equivalent registration for Sogroya/somapacitan could be locatedMedsafe (New Zealand regulator) -- search attempt only, no confirmed record found · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 6
Brand names by country
Single-ingredient somapacitan names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.
Priority countries
United States
- SOGROYA3.3 mg/mL, 6.7 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL · novo nordisk
United Kingdom
- Sogroya (3)MHRA licensed emc smpc confirmed · 10 mg/1.5 mL, 15 mg/1.5 mL · Novo Nordisk Limited
Canada
- Sogroya (4)Health Canada approved 2023-07-26 confirmed · 5 mg/1.5 mL, 10 mg/1.5 mL, 15 mg/1.5 mL · Novo Nordisk Canada Inc.
Australia
- Sogroya (5)TGA approved 2022-10-07 confirmed · not specified in fetched source · Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
View brands in additional countries.
European Union
Sogroya (2)