First approved medication in the EU to treat patients with Cushing’s disease

On April 25, 2012 the European Commission approved Signifor (pasireotide) for the treatment of adult patients with Cushing’s disease for whom surgery is not an option or for whom surgery has failed. Signifor is the first medicine to be approved in the EU targeting Cushing’s disease. Cushing’s syndrome is an endocrine disorder caused by excessive cortisol, a vital hormone that regulates metabolism, maintains cardiovascular function and helps the body respond to stress. Cushing’s disease is a form of Cushing’s syndrome, in which excess cortisol production is triggered by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma. It is a rare but serious disease that affects approximately one to two patients per million per year. For further information on Signifor and Cushing’s disease, please click here.