Current Treatment Options for Patients With Cushing’s Syndrome

Mario Maldonado, MD, Head of Clinical Development for Global Endocrinology at Recordati Rare Diseases, discusses current treatment options for patients with Cushing’s syndrome.

Cushing's syndrome is a rare endocrine disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of cortisol. Signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome include upper body obesity, fatigue, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, backache, high blood sugar, easy bruising and bluish-red stretch marks on the skin. Affected women may also experience irregular menstrual periods and increased growth of body and facial hair. This condition may be caused by a variety of factors including long-term use of corticosteroid medications, tumors in the pituitary gland or adrenal adenomas.

As Dr. Maldonado explains, the first line treatment for Cushing’s syndrome typically involves surgical removal of the tumor. While this may cure the disease for some patients, for those who are ineligible for surgery or who do not respond, medical treatments are necessary. These therapies target and reduce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion and cortisol production.

Pasireotide is a somatostatin analog administered as an intramuscular injection every four weeks. It is a long-acting therapy targeting the receptors responsible for ACTH oversecretion to decrease the overproduction of cortisol, in which the treatment has shown sustainability in managing.

Osilodrostat is an oral cortisol synthesis inhibitor that reduces cortisol production to reach and maintain normal levels. LINC6 is an ongoing, non-interventional, multinational, multicenter study designed to further document the safety and efficacy of osilodrostat in patients with Cushing’s syndrome. In previous studies, significant reductions in blood pressure and glycemia measures were observed.

Chapters:
Types of Cushing's Syndrome 00:00
Current Management 3:28
Clinical Trials 4:50