A considerable blow is expected in the already lacking acromegaly treatment market with the discontinuation of one of its very few available options.

According to industry sources, the domestic supply of the acromegaly treatment ‘Signifor LAR (pasireotide)’ has been discontinued. The decision was made as Novartis sold the rights to Signifor La to Recordati SpA.,an Italian pharmaceutical company. As a result, the drug that had been developed by Novartis and distributed by Samoh Pharm will now be discontinued in Korea.

However, the problem lies in the patients. Signifor LAR is a second-line treatment for acromegaly that was listed for reimbursement in November 2017. At the time, Signifor