Summary

A Phase 3 trial showed that pasireotide, a multireceptor-targeted somatostatin analog, led to rapid and sustained decreases in cortisol levels and provided clinical benefit in patients with Cushing disease. Surgery is the first-line treatment for this disease, and most current medical options block adrenal cortisol production but do not treat the underlying disease. Pasireotide may provide the first reliable pituitary-directed medical therapy that targets the underlying cause of Cushing disease.