Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (rHGH) for Knee Osteoarthritis (KORR)
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Dr. David Wasserstein
- Where
- Canada1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Active, not recruiting
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
- People taking part
- 34 people, planned
- Started
- 31 Oct 2025
- Expected to end
- Jan 2029
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Somatropin (recombinant human growth hormone)
- bacteriostatic saline placebo
- Record updated
- 31 July 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years to 65 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
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Who can take part
- Between 18 - 65 years old
- Diagnosis of isolated knee osteoarthritis for greater than 6 months
Who cannot take part
- Previous or pending major intra-articular or reconstructive surgery to the involved knee, including femoral/tibial osteotomies, ligament repair/reconstruction, or cartilage transplantation. Patients with remote (>1 year) diagnostic arthroscopy, arthroscopic debridement, meniscectomy, or meniscal repair may be allowed to participate at the investigators' discretion
- Previous major trauma (including fracture, dislocation, open injury) to the involved knee, or ipsilateral hip, knee, ankle, or hip. Patients with prior complete ligament tears will be excluded, patients with chronic partial thickness ligament tears or degenerative/complex meniscal tears (>6 months from injury) may be included at the investigators' discretion
- Currently on hypoglycemic therapy, oral estrogen or glucocorticoid replacement therapy
- Have taken creatine within 7 days before baseline. Potential participants will be given the option to pause their supplements and then re-screen if they are interested in the study,
- Have taken anabolic steroids within 42 days (6 weeks) before baseline. Potential participants will be given the option to pause their supplements and then rescreen if they are interested in the study,
- Known allergy to recombinant human growth hormone (rHGH) or reconstitutive solutions
- Documented history of growth disorder of bones or connective tissue, type 1 or 2 diabetes, myopathy, cancer, endocrine disorder, severe hypertension (SBP > 180) or rheumatologic disorder
- Recent (less than 6 months) intra-articular injection into the involved knee
- High grade ligamentous knee injury
- BMI of less than 20 or greater than 35
- Pregnant or breastfeeding, or actively attempting to get pregnant
- Would have difficulty with the self-injection schedule or other cognitive/ functional limitations
- Vital signs or routine bloodwork outside of normal range
This trial has no sites in United States.
It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The goal of this clinical trial is to see if people with knee osteoarthritis would be willing to comply and adhere to incorporating Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (rHGH), specifically Saizen Somatropin solution, into their treatment plan.
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Participants will be asked to:
* Self-inject the treatment solution (placebo or somatropin) into the abdominal or gluteal area once per day for a total of 6 weeks. * Complete questionnaires related to their knee pain and activities of daily living. * Provide blood tests. * Complete various measurements including: circumference of thigh, calf, and abdomen; strength of thigh and knee; range of motion of both knees; and gait analysis.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (rHGH)Treatment being tested
Self-administered subcutaneous injection into the abdomen or gluteal region once per day for six weeks.
Treatment: Somatropin (recombinant human growth hormone)
- Bacteriostatic SalinePlacebo, for comparison
Self-administered subcutaneous injection into the abdomen or gluteal region once per day for six weeks.
Treatment: bacteriostatic saline placebo
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (rHGH) for Knee Osteoarthritis (KORR): a Pilot, Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial
- Publications
- Record updated
- 31 July 2026