Thyrogen recombinant thyroid stimulating hormone data

GENZ announced that results of a second Phase III trial of Thyrogen showed that radioiodine scans in patients using Thyrogen were equivalent to those from patients stopping therapy with thyroid hormone, without symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Withdrawal from replacement thyroid hormone three weeks prior to scanning currently is necessary to scan for cancer recurrence in patients whose thyroids have been removed. However, this causes unpleasant symptoms of hypothyroidism, including fatigue, weight gain, constipation, mental dullness, lethargy and depression. Thyrogen is intended to enable scanning without having to cease hormone therapy by stimulating any remaining thyroid cells to take up the scanning agent. ...