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Somatropin

Somatropin is a synthetic human growth hormone used to treat growth failure in children and growth hormone deficiency in adults across several brand-name products.

Brand names AccretropinGenotropinHumatropeNorditropinNutropin AQ Nuspin +6 more
Drug class Recombinant Human Growth Hormone
Rx Form 1
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 Where this information comes from

The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 5 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →

Somatropin at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Somatropin is a lab-made copy of the body's own growth hormone. It is a specialist medicine, usually started by an endocrinologist (a hormone doctor), used to help children with growth failure from several causes grow and to replace missing hormone in adults, and it has been on the U.S. market since about 1995. Most people tolerate it well, and the side effects people tend to notice are headache, joint or muscle aches, and swelling or tingling in the hands, especially adults early on. In a child, a new limp or hip or knee pain means calling the doctor right away, as does a severe headache with vision changes or vomiting. Expect regular checks of growth, blood sugar and thyroid levels.

Clinical pearls

  • Rotate injection sites (abdomen, thigh, upper arm, buttock) with every dose to prevent thinning of the fat under the skin.
  • If you take hydrocortisone or prednisone, somatropin can lower cortisol, so your steroid dose may need to go up.
  • Starting or stopping oral estrogen, such as hormone therapy or the pill, can change how much somatropin is needed.
  • For a child with Prader-Willi syndrome, report new or louder snoring or any breathing trouble to the doctor promptly.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asInjection
Earliest FDA record1986
Companies listing it with the FDA6
FDA label last updatedJul 7, 2025
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)None on the label

Patient Information Guide A plain-language walkthrough of Somatropin, written from its FDA label.

What Somatropin Is Used For

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Somatropin is a synthetic growth hormone approved for a range of conditions in both children and adults across multiple brand-name products.

  • Children — Growth hormone deficiency (GHD): Humatrope, Norditropin, and Omnitrope are each indicated for growth failure caused by the body not making enough growth hormone.
  • Children — Turner Syndrome: Humatrope, Norditropin, and Omnitrope are indicated for growth failure associated with this chromosomal condition affecting girls.
  • Children — Prader-Willi Syndrome: Norditropin and Omnitrope are indicated for growth failure in children with this genetic disorder (diagnosis must be confirmed by genetic testing).
  • Children — Small for Gestational Age (SGA): Humatrope, Norditropin, and Omnitrope are indicated for children born smaller than expected who have not caught up in growth by age 2–4 years.
  • Children — Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS): Humatrope, Norditropin, and Omnitrope are indicated for children who are significantly short with no identified cause and whose growth rate is unlikely to allow a normal adult height.
  • Children — SHOX deficiency: Humatrope is indicated for short stature or growth failure caused by a deficiency of the SHOX gene.
  • Children — Noonan Syndrome: Norditropin is indicated for short stature associated with Noonan Syndrome.
  • Adults — Growth hormone deficiency: Humatrope, Norditropin, and Omnitrope are indicated to replace growth hormone in adults with GHD that began in adulthood (due to pituitary disease, hypothalamic disease, surgery, radiation, or trauma) or carried over from childhood.

How Somatropin Works

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Somatropin is structurally identical to the growth hormone the pituitary gland naturally produces. In children, it stimulates the cartilaginous growth plates in long bones, increasing height. It also increases the number and size of muscle cells, promotes protein synthesis, helps mobilize fat stores, and raises blood levels of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) — a liver-made hormone that mediates many of growth hormone's effects. In adults with GHD, it reduces excess body fat, increases lean muscle mass, and improves cholesterol levels.

Somatropin also influences mineral balance — raising phosphorus and potassium levels — and stimulates the production of connective tissue components like collagen. At higher doses, it can reduce insulin sensitivity, which is why blood sugar monitoring is important during treatment.

Somatropin Dosage

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Somatropin is always given by subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection. In children, the weekly dose is typically divided into 6 or 7 daily injections; in adults, it is usually given once daily. Dosing is always individualized — your doctor will start low and adjust based on your response and any side effects. There is no food restriction associated with injections.

  • Injection sites (abdomen, thigh, upper arm, buttock) must be rotated each time to protect the skin.
  • If you miss a dose, follow your prescriber's guidance — do not double up without being told to.
  • Never adjust your dose on your own; all changes should be supervised by your physician.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Somatropin prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.

  • Pediatric GH Deficiency
    • 0.18 mg/kg/week to 0.3 mg/kg/week (0.026 mg/kg/day to 0.043 mg/kg/day), divided into equal doses given either 3, 6, or 7 days per week (Zomacton)
    • 6 or 7 days per week (Humatrope)
    • Individualize based on growth response; subcutaneous injection
  • Turner syndrome
    • Up to 0.375 mg/kg/week (up to 0.054 mg/kg/day)
    • Divided into equal doses given 3, 6, or 7 days per week (Zomacton); 6 or 7 days per week (Humatrope)
  • Idiopathic short stature
    • Up to 0.37 mg/kg/week (up to 0.053 mg/kg/day)
    • Divided into equal doses given 3, 6, or 7 days per week (Zomacton); 6 or 7 days per week (Humatrope)
  • SHOX Deficiency
    • 0.35 mg/kg/week (0.05 mg/kg/day)
    • Divided into equal doses given 3, 6, or 7 days per week (Zomacton); 6 or 7 days per week (Humatrope)
  • Small for Gestational Age (SGA)
    • Up to 0.47 mg/kg/week (up to 0.067 mg/kg/day)
    • Divided into equal doses given 3, 6, or 7 days per week (Zomacton); 6 or 7 days per week (Humatrope)
  • Adult GH deficiency, non-weight based dosing
    • Initiate with approximately 0.2 mg/day (range, 0.15 mg/day to 0.3 mg/day) and increase every 1 to 2 months by increments of approximately 0.1 mg/day to 0.2 mg/day, according to individual patient requirements
    • Consider lower starting dose and smaller increments for geriatric patients; estrogen-replete women and patients on oral estrogen may need higher doses
  • Adult GH deficiency, weight-based dosing
    • Initiate at 0.006 mg/kg daily and increase according to individual patient requirements
    • Maximum: 0.0125 mg/kg daily
    • Not recommended for obese patients
  • Pediatric patients less than 4 years of age with less severe short stature (baseline HSDS between -2 and -3)
    • Consider initiating treatment at 0.033 mg/kg/day and titrate the dose as needed
  • Very short pediatric patients (HSDS less than -3) and older pubertal pediatric patients
    • Consider initiating treatment with a larger dose (up to 0.067 mg/kg/day)
Read the label’s full dosing text

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Administer by subcutaneous injection to the back of upper arm, abdomen, buttock, or thigh with regular rotation of injection sites ( 2.1 ) Pediatric dosage: Divide the calculated weekly dosage into equal doses given either 3, 6, or 7 days per week ( 2.2 ) GH deficiency : 0.18 mg/kg/week to 0.3 mg/kg/week ( 2.2 ) Turner syndrome: Up to 0.375 mg/kg/week ( 2.2 ) ISS : Up to 0.37 mg/kg/week ( 2.2 ) SHOX deficiency: 0.35 mg/kg/week ( 2.2 ) SGA: Up to 0.47 mg/kg/week ( 2.2 ) Adult dosage: Either of the following two dosing regimens may be used: Non-weight based dosing : Initiate with a dose of approximately 0.2 mg/day (range, 0.15 mg/day to 0.3 mg/day) and increase the dose every 1 to 2 months by increments of approximately 0.1 mg/day to 0.2 mg/day, according to individual patient requirements ( 2.3 ) Weight-based dosing (Not recommended for obese patients) : Initiate at 0.006 mg/kg daily and increase the dose according to individual patient requirements to a maximum of 0.0125 mg/kg daily ( 2.3 ) See Full Prescribing Information for reconstitution instructions ( 2.4 ) 2.1 Administration and Use Instructions Therapy with ZOMACTON should be supervised by a physician who is experienced in the diagnosis and management of patients with the conditions for which ZOMACTON is indicated [see Indications and Usage (1) ]. Fundoscopic examination should be performed routinely before initiating treatment with ZOMACTON to exclude preexisting papilledema, and periodically thereafter [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ]. Administer ZOMACTON by subcutaneous injection to the back of the upper arm, abdomen, buttock, or thigh with regular rotation of injection sites to avoid lipoatrophy. ZOMACTON 5 mg and 10 mg can be administered using a standard sterile disposable syringe. For proper use, please refer to the Instructions for Use provided with the administration device. The volume of the syringe should be small enough so that the prescribed dose can be withdrawn from the vial with reasonable accuracy. 2.2 Pediatric Dosage Individualize dosage for each patient based on the growth response. Divide the calculated weekly ZOMACTON dosage into equal doses given either 3, 6, or 7 days per week.

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Somatropin Side Effects

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Like all medications, somatropin can cause side effects — most are dose-related and tend to improve over time or with a dose adjustment.

Common side effects

  • Headache
  • Upper respiratory infection or pharyngitis (sore throat)
  • Ear infections (otitis media), especially in children with Turner Syndrome
  • Swelling (edema), especially in adults early in treatment
  • Joint pain (arthralgia) and muscle pain (myalgia)
  • Numbness or tingling (paresthesia)
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome (nerve compression in the wrist)
  • Elevated blood sugar or impaired glucose tolerance
  • Upper respiratory infections, sore throat, runny nose
  • Elevated blood sugar or new glucose intolerance

When to get medical help

  • Call your doctor right away if a child develops a limp or hip or knee pain — this could be a slipped growth plate (slipped capital femoral epiphysis)
  • Seek emergency care if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction: hives, swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing
  • Tell your doctor immediately if you have severe or persistent abdominal pain — this could be pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
  • Contact your doctor if you notice vision changes, severe headache, nausea, or vomiting — these can be signs of intracranial hypertension (increased pressure in the skull)
  • Monitor blood sugar closely if you have diabetes — somatropin can reduce insulin sensitivity and raise blood glucose
  • Tell your doctor about any signs of breathing problems or increased snoring in children with Prader-Willi Syndrome — this is a serious safety concern
  • Report any signs of tumor recurrence or new growths if you have a history of cancer — somatropin is not used with active malignancy

Serious reactions — including severe allergic responses, increased pressure in the skull, slipped hip growth plate in children, or pancreatitis — require prompt medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these.

Somatropin Warnings and Precautions

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  • Prader-Willi Syndrome in children: Children who are severely obese or have breathing difficulties face a risk of sudden death. Breathing should be assessed before starting and monitored throughout treatment.
  • Acute critical illness: Somatropin must not be used during serious acute illness (major surgery, trauma, acute respiratory failure) — studies showed significantly higher death rates in critically ill patients given pharmacologic doses.
  • Cancer/tumors: Somatropin is contraindicated with active malignancy. Patients with a history of brain tumors or childhood cancer treated with radiation need close monitoring for tumor recurrence or new tumors.
  • Blood sugar changes: Somatropin can unmask or worsen diabetes. All patients should have blood sugar monitored; diabetes medication doses may need adjustment.
  • Intracranial hypertension (increased pressure in the skull): Can cause headache, vision changes, nausea, and vomiting — usually reverses when the dose is reduced or stopped.
  • Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (slipped hip growth plate): Children who develop a limp or hip or knee pain need immediate evaluation.
  • Benzyl alcohol: Some formulations contain benzyl alcohol, which has caused serious reactions and death in premature and low-birth-weight newborns. Special precautions apply for infants, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

Somatropin Interactions

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Somatropin can interact with several medications — always tell your doctor and pharmacist everything you take.

  • Glucocorticoids (e.g., prednisone, cortisone): Somatropin lowers the conversion of cortisone to active cortisol; people on steroid replacement may need their dose increased. High-dose steroids in children can also blunt growth.
  • Insulin and oral diabetes medications: Somatropin reduces insulin sensitivity — blood sugar medications may need to be adjusted upward.
  • Oral estrogen: Can reduce the body's IGF-1 response to somatropin, sometimes requiring a higher somatropin dose.
  • Cytochrome P450-metabolized drugs: Somatropin may speed up or slow the clearance of drugs processed by the liver's P450 enzyme system — careful monitoring is needed with these medications.

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Somatropin prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Glucocorticoids (replacement for hypoadrenalism): Norditropin inhibits 11βHSD-1, which may reduce serum cortisol concentrations; cortisone acetate and prednisone may be affected more than others. Patients may require an increase in maintenance or stress doses following initiation of Norditropin.
  • Pharmacologic glucocorticoid therapy and supraphysiologic glucocorticoid treatment: May attenuate the growth promoting effects of Norditropin in pediatric patients. Carefully adjust glucocorticoid replacement dosing in pediatric patients to avoid both hypoadrenalism and an inhibitory effect on growth.
  • Cytochrome P450-metabolized drugs: Somatropin treatment increases CP450-mediated antipyrine clearance, and Norditropin may alter the clearance of compounds metabolized by CP450 liver enzymes. Careful monitoring is advisable when used in combination.
  • Oral estrogen: Oral estrogens may reduce the serum IGF-1 response to Norditropin. Patients receiving oral estrogen replacement may require greater Norditropin dosages.
  • Insulin and/or other hypoglycemic agents: Treatment with Norditropin may decrease insulin sensitivity, particularly at higher doses. Patients with diabetes mellitus may require adjustment of their doses of insulin and/or other hypoglycemic agents.
Read the label’s full interactions text

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 2 includes a list of drugs with clinically important drug interactions when administered concomitantly with NORDITROPIN and instructions for preventing or managing them. Table 2: Clinically Important Drug Interactions with NORDITROPIN Glucocorticoids Clinical Impact: Microsomal enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD-1) is required for conversion of cortisone to its active metabolite, cortisol, in hepatic and adipose tissue. NORDITROPIN inhibits 11βHSD-1. Consequently, individuals with untreated GH deficiency have relative increases in 11βHSD-1 and serum cortisol. Initiation of NORDITROPIN may result in inhibition of 11βHSD-1 and reduced serum cortisol concentrations. Intervention: Patients treated with glucocorticoid replacement for hypoadrenalism may require an increase in their maintenance or stress doses following initiation of NORDITROPIN [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ]. Examples: Cortisone acetate and prednisone may be effected more than others since conversion of these drugs to their biologically active metabolites is dependent on the activity of 11βHSD-1. Pharmacologic Glucocorticoid Therapy and Supraphysiologic Glucocorticoid Treatment Clinical Impact: Pharmacologic glucocorticoid therapy and supraphysiologic glucocorticoid treatment may attenuate the growth promoting effects of NORDITROPIN in pediatric patients. Intervention: Carefully adjust glucocorticoid replacement dosing in pediatric patients receiving glucocorticoid treatments to avoid both hypoadrenalism and an inhibitory effect on growth. Cytochrome P450-Metabolized Drugs Clinical Impact: Limited published data indicate that somatropin treatment increases cytochrome P450 (CP450)-mediated antipyrine clearance. NORDITROPIN may alter the clearance of compounds known to be metabolized by CP450 liver enzymes. Intervention: Careful monitoring is advisable when NORDITROPIN is administered in combination with drugs metabolized by CP450 liver enzymes.

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →

Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.

Check Somatropin against a supplement or herb →

Before Taking Somatropin

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  • Do not use if you have an active cancer of any kind — all malignancies must be fully treated and in remission first.
  • Do not use during acute critical illness following major surgery, serious trauma, or acute respiratory failure.
  • Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome who are severely obese or have sleep apnea or upper airway obstruction should not use somatropin.
  • Do not use if you have active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (a serious diabetes-related eye condition).
  • Do not use to promote height in children whose bone growth plates are already closed.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant — some somatropin products contain benzyl alcohol; benzyl alcohol-free formulations or alternative diluents may be needed.
  • Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding — similar benzyl alcohol precautions apply.
  • Premature and low-birth-weight infants: benzyl alcohol-containing formulations must be avoided.
  • Older adults: may be more sensitive to somatropin and more prone to side effects; a lower starting dose is typically recommended.
  • Tell your doctor if you have a history of thyroid disease, scoliosis, diabetes, pituitary tumors, or any history of cancer.

Somatropin Overdose

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Taking too much somatropin in the short term can first cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and then high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), along with fluid retention. Long-term overdose can lead to signs of gigantism in children (excessive height) or acromegaly (abnormal bone and tissue growth) in adults. If you suspect an overdose, contact your doctor or a poison control center right away.

What Somatropin Does in the Body

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Somatropin's primary measurable effect in children is stimulating linear (height) growth by acting on the cartilaginous growth plates of long bones. It increases both the number and size of skeletal muscle cells, promotes retention of nitrogen (a marker of protein building), raises phosphorus and potassium levels in the body, and stimulates fat breakdown — reducing stored body fat and increasing circulating fatty acids. In adults with GHD, it measurably decreases fat mass and increases lean body mass, and it improves cholesterol profiles by reducing LDL (bad cholesterol). At higher doses, it can impair the body's response to insulin, raising blood sugar levels.

How Your Body Processes Somatropin

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When injected subcutaneously (under the skin), about 80% of a somatropin dose reaches the bloodstream — it is absorbed slowly from the injection site, which is why the half-life (the time for the body to clear half the drug) is about 3 hours after a subcutaneous injection, compared to just 0.4 hours if given directly into a vein. Peak blood levels are typically reached around 5–6 hours after a subcutaneous dose. Somatropin is broken down (metabolized) mainly in the liver and kidneys through normal protein breakdown processes, and some byproducts re-enter the bloodstream before final elimination.

How to Store Somatropin

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Store ZOMACTON vials refrigerated at 36° to 46°F (2° to 8°C) in the original carton to protect from light. Avoid freezing the accompanying diluent. store ZOMACTON 5 mg vials that have been reconstituted with co-packaged Bacteriostatic Sodium Chloride Injection, USP (with 0.

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

Somatropin: Pharmacist Answers to Common Questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Somatropin — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What exactly does somatropin do, and why has my doctor prescribed it?

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Somatropin is a lab-made version of the growth hormone your body normally produces in the pituitary gland. Your doctor has likely prescribed it because your body isn't making enough on its own — or, for children, because a specific condition like Turner Syndrome or Prader-Willi Syndrome is affecting normal growth. It helps stimulate bone growth in children, builds muscle, reduces excess body fat, and restores hormone balance in adults with deficiency. It won't work overnight — it's a long-term therapy, and your doctor will monitor your progress along the way.

How do I give myself (or my child) the injection, and does the site matter?

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You'll give the injection just under the skin — in the abdomen, thigh, upper arm, or buttock. The most important thing is to rotate the spot every time you inject. Using the same spot repeatedly can cause the skin and fat tissue to thin out (called lipoatrophy), which can affect how well the medicine is absorbed. Your care team will train you on the technique before you start, and specific brands like Omnitrope have their own pen delivery systems that make it easier. Always follow the instructions that come with your specific product.

What side effects should I expect, and which ones mean I need to call the doctor?

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Common side effects include headache, joint or muscle aches, mild swelling (especially in adults when starting), and upper respiratory infections. These often ease up as your body adjusts or after a dose tweak. What you should call your doctor about right away: a child who develops a limp or hip/knee pain (could be a slipped growth plate), severe or persistent stomach pain (possible pancreatitis), vision changes or a severe headache (possible increased pressure in the skull), or any signs of a serious allergic reaction like swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing.

Can somatropin affect my blood sugar or interact with my other medications?

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Yes — somatropin can reduce how sensitive your body is to insulin, which can raise blood sugar. If you have diabetes or are at risk for it, your doctor will monitor your glucose levels and may need to adjust your insulin or diabetes medication. It also interacts with steroid medications like prednisone (you may need a higher steroid dose) and with oral estrogen (you may need a higher somatropin dose). Make sure your doctor knows every medication, supplement, and over-the-counter product you take so interactions can be managed.

Is somatropin safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

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Limited data suggest somatropin itself doesn't cross the placenta and hasn't been linked to birth defects, but the research is limited. The bigger concern with some products is benzyl alcohol — a preservative in certain formulations — which can be harmful to newborns. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding and need somatropin, your doctor may switch you to a benzyl alcohol-free formulation or have you use a different diluent. Always tell your care team you are pregnant or nursing so the safest option can be chosen.

Are there people who absolutely should NOT use somatropin?

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Yes. Somatropin should not be used by anyone with an active cancer, anyone in acute critical illness after major surgery or serious injury, or children with Prader-Willi Syndrome who are severely obese or have significant breathing problems — there have been reports of sudden death in that group. It also cannot be used if you have severe diabetic eye disease (proliferative diabetic retinopathy) or if a child's bone growth plates are already closed. If any of these apply to you or your child, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Is Somatropin available over the counter?

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No. Somatropin is a prescription medicine: every Somatropin product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Somatropin first available?

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The earliest FDA record we hold for Somatropin is from 1986: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Somatropin was first used.

Who makes Somatropin?

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6 companies currently list Somatropin products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc, Novo Nordisk, EMD Serono, Inc.. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More About Somatropin on HelloPharmacist

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Detailed Data & References for Somatropin Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Somatropin Forms and Strengths (How It Comes)

Somatropin is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Somatropin inactive ingredients by manufacturer.

Injection

Under the skin
Brands Norditropin Omnitrope
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Humatrope is used for growth failure due to growth hormone deficiency, Turner Syndrome, idiopathic short stature, SHOX deficiency, and small for gestational age in children, and for adult GHD
  • Norditropin is used for growth hormone deficiency, Turner Syndrome, Noonan Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome, idiopathic short stature, and small for gestational age in children, and for adult GHD
  • Omnitrope is used for growth failure due to GHD, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, small for gestational age, and idiopathic short stature in children, and for adult GHD
Important instructions
  • Humatrope and Norditropin are given by subcutaneous injection into the back of the upper arm, abdomen, buttock, or thigh — rotate injection sites with each dose
  • Omnitrope is given subcutaneously 6–7 days per week; Omnitrope Cartridges 5 mg/1.5 mL and 10 mg/1.5 mL must be used only with the corresponding Omnitrope Pen 5 and Pen 10 delivery systems
  • Omnitrope injection sites should always be rotated to avoid lipoatrophy (skin thinning at the injection site)
  • All somatropin injection products should be prescribed and supervised by a physician experienced in growth hormone therapy
Available strengths 4 strengths
5 mg/1.5 mL 10 mg/1.5 mL 15 mg/1.5 mL 30 mg/3 mL
12 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Somatropin on the U.S. Market: Products, Makers and Brands

How Somatropin appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.

6 companies list 27 Somatropin product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1986. Brand names on the directory include Accretropin, Genotropin, Humatrope and 8 more; the rest are generics.

1
Dose forms ⓘ
6
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
6
Brand names
27
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1986
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Kit (81) · Unfinished injection, solution (2) · Unfinished liquid (2) · Unfinished powder, for solution (2) · Unfinished solution (2) · Powder (1) — bulk drug substance and unfinished product sold to compounders and other manufacturers to finish, and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc44%
Novo Nordisk15%
EMD Serono, Inc.11%
Eli Lilly and Company11%
Sandoz Inc11%
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.7%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

How Widely Somatropin Is Used (Medicaid Data)

A general measure of how commonly Somatropin is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.

Think of this as a proxy for how widely Somatropin is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.

142,879
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$800.8M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Somatropin prescribed? Of the 1,603 medications we measure, Somatropin ranks #444 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 72% of them.

Where Somatropin ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5
Total prescriptions — #444 of 1,603
#439 Famotidine Injection 146,638 Rx #440 Vancomycin 145,157 Rx #441 Levodopa and Carbidopa 143,727 Rx #442 Roflumilast 143,447 Rx #443 Scopolamine Transderma... 143,028 Rx #444 Somatropin 142,879 Rx #445 Indomethacin 142,731 Rx #446 Lovastatin 141,955 Rx #447 Regadenoson 141,955 Rx #448 Dexlansoprazole 141,938 Rx #449 Levocarnitine 141,917 Rx

Utilization by Somatropin product

Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.

The 1.5 mL / 6.67 mg/mL pen injector is the most-dispensed Somatropin product — about 31% of these Medicaid prescriptions.

1.5 ML somatropin 6.67 MG/ML Pen Injector Most dispensed

43,983 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 31% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $226.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $5,146 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1736329

1.5 ML somatropin 10 MG/ML Pen Injector

39,503 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 28% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $291M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $7,366 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 847243

1 ML somatropin 12 MG/ML Cartridge

19,609 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 14% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $134.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $6,851 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 996558

1 ML somatropin 5 MG/ML Cartridge

11,237 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 8% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $38.6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $3,433 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 763488

1.5 ML somatropin 3.33 MG/ML Pen Injector

7,983 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 6% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $20.6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,585 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1736262

1.5 ML somatropin 6.67 MG/ML Cartridge

7,234 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 5% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $40.9M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $5,659 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1736337

somatropin 10 MG/ML Injectable Solution

2,302 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 2% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $5.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,315 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 3 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 284989

somatropin 5 MG/ML Injectable Solution

2,127 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $4.6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,169 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 2 of 3 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 241975

somatropin 12 MG Cartridge

1,779 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $10.7M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $6,006 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 582969

1.5 ML somatropin 3.3 MG/ML Cartridge

1,415 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $4M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,845 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1736267

0.25 ML somatropin 2.4 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

1,061 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $2.6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,479 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762837

somatropin 6 MG Cartridge

964 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $2.8M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $2,862 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 729232

0.25 ML somatropin 1.6 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

815 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $1.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $1,631 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762834

0.25 ML somatropin 0.8 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

601 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $497,285 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $827 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762830

somatropin 24 MG Cartridge

600 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $9,992 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 582974

0.25 ML somatropin 3.2 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

492 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $1.6M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $3,217 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762841

0.25 ML somatropin 4 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

365 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $1.5M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $4,164 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762873

somatropin 6 MG Injection

224 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $4.4M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $19,517 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 249453

0.25 ML somatropin 4.8 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

215 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $1.1M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $5,171 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762846

0.25 ML somatropin 5.6 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

166 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $964,241 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $5,809 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762850

0.25 ML somatropin 8 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

109 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $941,943 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $8,642 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762895

0.25 ML somatropin 6.4 MG/ML Prefilled Syringe

95 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Somatropin prescriptions shown $633,529 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $6,669 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 1 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 762857

Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.

Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Somatropin, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 23 of 37 listed Somatropin NDCs with Medicaid activity.

Compare Somatropin Products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Somatropin — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)

Strength Route Manufacturer / Labeler Category ⓘ Details
💊Injection
5 mg/1.5 mL Subcutaneous Novo Nordisk BLA View NDC →
10 mg/1.5 mL Subcutaneous Novo Nordisk BLA View NDC →
15 mg/1.5 mL Subcutaneous Novo Nordisk BLA View NDC →
30 mg/3 mL Subcutaneous Novo Nordisk BLA View NDC →
5 mg/1.5 mL Subcutaneous Sandoz Inc BLA View NDC →
10 mg/1.5 mL Subcutaneous Sandoz Inc BLA View NDC →
💊Kits
— Intramuscular, Subcutaneous Eli Lilly and Company × 3 listings BLA View NDC →
— Subcutaneous EMD Serono, Inc. × 3 listings BLA View NDC →
— Subcutaneous Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. BLA View NDC →
— — Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. BLA View NDC →
— — Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc × 12 listings BLA View NDC →
— — Sandoz Inc BLA View NDC →

Showing 27 of 27 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 27 Somatropin NDCs →

Somatropin Recall History

A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.

The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Somatropin recalls since July 2021.

✅No Somatropin recalls on record since July 2021

Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Oct 8, 2026.

RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength

This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.

Ingredient (IN) Somatropin RxCUI 61148 5 dose forms · 32 strengths
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 373935 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 4.4 MG/ML RxCUI 542438 5 MG/ML RxCUI 241975 8 MG/ML RxCUI 248288 8.8 MG/ML RxCUI 284019 10 MG/ML RxCUI 284989
  3. Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1734076 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 5 MG RxCUI 346494 6 MG RxCUI 249453
  5. Dose form (SCDF) Prefilled Syringe RxCUI 727641 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.25 ML somatropin 0.8 MG/ML RxCUI 762830 0.25 ML somatropin 1.6 MG/ML RxCUI 762834 0.25 ML somatropin 2.4 MG/ML RxCUI 762837 0.25 ML somatropin 3.2 MG/ML RxCUI 762841 0.25 ML somatropin 4 MG/ML RxCUI 762873 0.25 ML somatropin 4.8 MG/ML RxCUI 762846 0.25 ML somatropin 5.6 MG/ML RxCUI 762850 0.25 ML somatropin 6.4 MG/ML RxCUI 762857 0.25 ML somatropin 7.2 MG/ML RxCUI 762866 0.25 ML somatropin 8 MG/ML RxCUI 762895

Look up RxCUI 61148 in the RxCUI Atlas →

RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.

💵 What Somatropin Costs Pharmacies (NADAC Benchmark)

The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Oct 7, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.

FormStrengthPharmacy acquisition benchmark
Injection, Solution · Subcutaneous 10 mg/1.5 mL $1,136.46 per mL NDC details & price history
Injection, Solution · Subcutaneous 5 mg/1.5 mL $570.77 per mL NDC details & price history
Injection, Solution · Subcutaneous 15 mg/1.5 mL $1,704.64 per mL NDC details & price history
Why show this? Your out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance, pharmacy markup, and discounts — but the acquisition benchmark tells you whether the medication itself is inexpensive or costly, which strengths cost more per dose, and whether a cash-price quote is in a reasonable range. Each row links to the NDC-level record with its full price history.

Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.

Somatropin Brand Names

Somatropin is sold under 11 brand names in the FDA directory — Accretropin, Genotropin, Humatrope, Norditropin and others. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Accretropin Genotropin Humatrope Norditropin Nutropin AQ Nuspin Omnitrope Saizen Serostim Zomacton Zorbtive Nutropin

Who Makes Somatropin: Manufacturers and Labelers

6 companies list Somatropin products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc, Novo Nordisk, EMD Serono, Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc 12 Novo Nordisk 4 EMD Serono, Inc. 3 Eli Lilly and Company 3 Sandoz Inc 3 Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2

Somatropin Drug Class (RxNorm)

Somatropin belongs to the Recombinant Human Growth Hormone class.

Pharmacologic class Recombinant Human Growth Hormone
Drug family (ATC) Somatropin and somatropin agonists

Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.

Sources for This Somatropin Page

Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Jul 7, 2025
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Somatropin.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Somatropin after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
5
Finished products in the current FDA directory
27
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
6
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
6
Linked representative label ⓘ
Novo Nordisk
Linked label effective
Jul 7, 2025
Composite sections available
26
Linked SPL Set ID
1058e17c-9261-459c-a3e6-fae38d196c14
Linked SPL Document ID
b67c2419-4feb-4ce1-b97e-88760a8e1aee
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

How this page is built

HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Novo Nordisk is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →