Hello AI. What’s new in the world of pituitary disease?

From J D Faccinetti, co-founder and chief editor – We often scan the pituitary universe and report on the latest drug developments, new potential therapies, and engaging clinical cases and resources. We hope this knowledge helps people gain more insight into these complicated diseases and the fascinating medical/scientific discovery, research, and diagnosis world. As you may guess, reporting on the latest news takes hours of painstaking researching accurate, up-to-date, reliable sources. Sometimes, days of research before we even put down a sentence. Then comes the countless rewrites. If you have ever written anything for publishing, you know what I mean. Never happy with the final version. Always a word or sentence to rewrite, a coma here or there, a headline that sounds less clever than you thought when you first wrote it.

But wait! We’ve spent years hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) platforms potentially used on almost everything. We at PWN have been dabbling with AI. For example, we asked it to define “brain fog” or “how does a nonprofit publication provide value to readers” to see if we can glean more insight into what people are looking for from a web-pub like Pituitary World News. So, let’s take this AI thing for a spin and see what pops up when we ask: What are the latest developments in pituitary medicine?

We’ve highlighted some of the results below. Surprisingly, it worked relatively well in generalizing pituitary development activity – however, the A. I. engine we used did not provide any detailed information and, on several occasions, reported inaccurately the company developing or marketing a drug – for example, it confused Novartis with Recordati as the company responsible for Osilodrostat for Cushing’s and inaccurately reported Stonebridge Pharma instead of Xeris Pharma as the current marketer for Levoketoconazole. There were other discrepancies and sourcing mistakes, but we won’t get too critical here. The bottom line is that AI is a helpful tool, but you still need a good (human) editor to ensure the information is spitting out is accurate.

Now to the nitty gritty: several new drugs are under development for the treatment of pituitary diseases, and promising advancements are being made in therapies for conditions like acromegaly and Cushing’s disease.

• From Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for Acromegaly: Paltusotine ® is an oral somatostatin receptor agonist that has shown efficacy in maintaining IGF-1 levels in patients transitioning from monthly injectable treatments and, in a separate study,  in patients with active acromegaly who were not pharmacologically treated. It simplifies the treatment regimen for acromegaly and is expected to be submitted for FDA approval in 2024. Read more here. 
• From Camurus for Acromegaly, CAM2029 is a once-monthly subcutaneous depot formulation of octreotide intended for self-administration. In Phase 3 trials, it demonstrated superior biochemical control and symptom management compared to current treatments. The FDA is reviewing its New Drug Application, with a decision anticipated in October 2024.  More information here
• In the Cushing’s and hypercortisolism space, Corcept Therapeutics has several developments with the drug Relacorilant for indications in Endogenous Cushings syndrome, hypercortisolism associated with adrenal adenoma or hyperplasia, a long-term safety study for Relacorilant and prevalence and treatment of hypercortisolism for the drug Korlym.
• From Recordati Rare Disease, a potential new indication for their previously approved Cushing’s drug Olisodrostat and FDA Orphan Drug Designation Granted to Osilodrostat for the Treatment of Endogenous Cushing’s Syndrome Excluding Cushing’s Disease – read more here.

We can also report recent advancements in therapies and resources for pituitary diseases, highlighting a range of innovative approaches and treatments, reflecting progress in medical and surgical interventions. These include:

Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques: Advances in minimally invasive endoscopic surgery are improving outcomes for patients with pituitary and skull base tumors.  Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Care Programs at institutions like UCSF, Cedars Sinai, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Yale Medicine, Stanford, Barrow Neurological Institute, and others offer multidisciplinary care involving endocrinologists, neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, and other specialists. These centers emphasize a team-based approach, integrating cutting-edge diagnostic tools and personalized treatment plans to optimize patient outcomes, patient education, and support, and innovative imaging and radiation techniques that are utilized to target pituitary tumors better while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues.

These drugs and developments reflect a concerted effort to enhance both the efficacy and safety of treatments for pituitary diseases, ensuring that patients receive the most advanced and comprehensive care available. For more detailed information on these advancements, you can explore resources from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Yale Medicine,  Pituitary World News, The California Center for Pituitary Disorders at UCSF, Stanford Medical, Cedars Sinai, The Barrow Neurological Institute, and others.  These centers and resources were listed in the original AI report.

Editors note:  Pituitary World News is a platform where physicians and patients collaborate to provide information about various pituitary diseases. It offers articles, podcasts, and expert insights, covering clinical trials, mental health, and industry updates like this one. Through this effort, our aim is to increase awareness, reduce misdiagnoses, and support those affected by pituitary conditions. I am personally delighted and must admit surprised that the AI engine recognized Pituitary World News as one major contributor to disseminating knowledge and information about pituitary disease. I am proud to be listed among the most prominent leaders treating and caring for pituitary patients. Thank you to all our readers and supporters!

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