A long-acting version of the human growth hormone that can be injected less frequently is likely to hit the markets soon with drug maker Prolor Biotech indicating that the second phase of clinical trials are currently underway.

Synthetic versions of human growth hormone (HGH) are known to help deficient kids and adults achieve required level of growth. Treatment with growth hormone, however, requires that kids or adults are given weekly shots for several years.

Prolor Biotech claims that the need for multiple shots could be a thing of the past with its new long-acting version of HGH that will require only once-a-week or bimonthly doses.

Prolor has started human testing of its new growth hormone therapy called HGH-CTP. Initial studies have indicated that the new version of the hormone is safe, which means that HGH-CTP could potentially be effective when injected just twice a month.

"We are enthusiastic about the therapeutic potential of HGH-CTP based on its compelling preclinical and clinical safety and bioactivity data," says Abraham Havron, CEO of Prolor Biotech, Inc.

Growth hormone therapy requires many years of daily injections. For example, a 10-year old growth hormone-deficient child will be injected with HGH approximately 3,000 times by the age of 18, and a 30-year-old diagnosed with adult-onset growth hormone deficiency would require more than 16,000 injections by the age of 75, says Havron.

The HGH-CTP phase II trial will evaluate the safety, and effectiveness of HGH-CTP injected either weekly or twice-monthly in patients with growth hormone deficiency who currently receive daily injections of growth hormone. The long-acting growth hormone trial will take place at up to 14 sites in six countries.

By definition, HGH is a peptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland in the brain. HGH enhances tissue growth by stimulating protein formation. It is considered the key hormone within the human body as it controls several functions including youth, vitality and energy of a person.

Dr. Daniel Rudman had conducted a study, the details of which were published in the New England Journal Of Medicine, that demonstrated the ability to reverse the effects of aging upon the human body with the employment of HGH or the Human Growth Hormone.