• Refill Reminders
    Restock your meds on time
  • Family & Caregiver Support
    Loved ones get notified if you forget
  • Medication Reminders
    Never miss a dose
  • Doctor Reports
    Easy-to-share summaries for appointments
  • Health Tracking
    Log blood pressure, sugar, weight & more
  • Data Privacy
    Fully encrypted and secure
Image

You are about to leave Serostim.com and are being redirected to another website. Click “Go Back” to stay on Serostim.com. To continue to  get the free Medisafe app, click “Get App”.

Download Medisafe, a free third-party app, to track unintended weight loss, manage medications, see appointments, and access other reminder tools and info.

Available for both Android and Apple devices

Image
  • Refill Reminders
    Restock your meds on time
  • Family & Caregiver Support
    Loved ones get notified if you forget
  • Medication Reminders
    Never miss a dose
  • Doctor Reports
    Easy-to-share summaries for appointments
  • Health Tracking
    Log blood pressure, sugar, weight & more
  • Data Privacy
    Fully encrypted and secure

You are about to leave Serostim.com and are being redirected to another website. Click “Go Back” to stay on Serostim.com. To continue to  get the free Medisafe app, click “Get App”.

Download Medisafe, a free third-party app, to track unintended weight loss, manage medications, see appointments, and access other reminder tools and info.

Available for both Android and Apple devices

The following site is intended for use by US healthcare professionals only.

Continue to requested site
Return to Serostim.com
White male with light brown hair representing hypothetical Serostim® patient, Dylan, actor portrayal

Dylan

This is not a real Serostim® patient. This scenario is intended to represent one possible experience with HIV-associated wasting. Individual experiences may vary widely. If you are living with HIV and experiencing symptoms of HIV-associated wasting, speak with your healthcare provider about options that may be available to you.

Dylan, now 24, was diagnosed with HIV and started on a single-tablet antiretroviral regimen 2 years ago. He understands the importance of sticking with treatment and is diligent about taking his medication every day.

Dylan works as a department manager at a gardening center. 

Dylan is 5’9″. At the time of his diagnosis, he weighed 160 pounds. Over the past 2 years, despite taking his antiretrovirals and being committed to eating well and getting exercise, he’s had unintentional weight loss and is concerned that now, at 146 pounds, he looks too thin. He’s noticed that his muscles lack the tone they once had. He also reports having little energy by the afternoon nearly every day.

To understand the possible causes of Dylan’s unintentional weight loss, lack of muscle tone, and low energy, his nurse practitioner (NP) completed a workup. His NP noted that there aren’t any underlying conditions to address: no active cancer or infections.  

Dylan was diagnosed with HIV-associated wasting because of his unintentional weight loss, loss of lean body mass, and reduced physical endurance. His NP prescribed Serostim® to address his symptoms.

Important Safety Information and Indication

Expand

What is Serostim® (somatropin) for injection?

Serostim® is an injectable prescription medicine used for the treatment of HIV-positive patients with wasting or cachexia to increase lean body mass and body weight, and improve physical endurance. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy at the same time is necessary.

You should not take Serostim® if you have:

  • A critical illness from surgery, serious injuries, or a severe breathing problem
  • Cancer or undergoing treatment for cancer
  • Eye problems caused by diabetes
  • Allergies to growth hormone or other ingredients in Serostim® vials

What should I tell my doctor before using Serostim®?

  • If you have a critical illness from surgery, serious injury, or a severe breathing problem
  • If you have cancer or had cancer in the past.
  • If you have diabetes, are at risk for getting diabetes, or have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal. New cases of type 2 diabetes have been reported in patients taking Serostim®.
  • If you are allergic to growth hormone, benzyl alcohol, sucrose, phosphoric acid or sodium hydroxide.
  • If you are taking any other medicines (both prescription or over the counter), vitamins, or supplements because these medicines may affect each other. Your doctor may need to monitor for drug-drug interactions.
  • If you are nursing, pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Serostim® passes into your breast milk or could harm your unborn baby.

What are the most common side effects of Serostim® reported in clinical trials in patients treated for HIV-associated wasting or cachexia?

  • Swelling, especially in the hands or feet or around the eyes
  • Bone, muscle, and joint pain or stiffness
  • Tingling, numbness and pain in the fingers, thumb or wrist
  • Breast enlargement in men
  • Nausea
  • Extreme tiredness

Other less common but serious side effects of Serostim® are:

  • High blood sugar (hyperglycemia/diabetes) which can include symptoms of increased thirst and urination, tiredness, or trouble concentrating
  • Serious allergic reactions that require immediate medical attention
  • Pain and tenderness in the abdomen
  • Headaches, changes in vision, nausea or vomiting, which requires immediate medical attention

These are not all of the possible side effects. Let your doctor know about any side effects you experience. Your doctor may prescribe a pain reliever or may decrease your dose of Serostim® to help manage some side effects.

You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

How should you administer Serostim®?

Patients and caregivers should be trained by a healthcare professional on how to mix and inject Serostim® prior to use. Never share Serostim® with another person, even if the needle is changed. Injection sites can include arms, legs, abdomen and should be changed daily.

Avoid injecting Serostim® in areas that are sore or bruised.

What is Serostim® (somatropin) for injection?

Serostim® is an injectable prescription medicine used for the treatment of HIV‑positive patients with wasting or cachexia to increase lean body mass and body weight, and improve physical endurance. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy at the same time is necessary.

 

Please see the full Prescribing Information and talk to your healthcare provider for complete information on Serostim® risks.

Important Safety Information and Indication

What is Serostim® (somatropin) for injection?

Serostim® is an injectable prescription medicine used for the treatment of HIV-positive patients with wasting or cachexia to increase lean body mass and body weight, and improve physical endurance. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy at the same time is necessary.

You should not take Serostim® if you have:

  • A critical illness from surgery, serious injuries, or a severe breathing problem
  • Cancer or undergoing treatment for cancer
  • Eye problems caused by diabetes
  • Allergies to growth hormone or other ingredients in Serostim® vials

What should I tell my doctor before using Serostim®?

  • If you have a critical illness from surgery, serious injury, or a severe breathing problem
  • If you have cancer or had cancer in the past.
  • If you have diabetes, are at risk for getting diabetes, or have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal. New cases of type 2 diabetes have been reported in patients taking Serostim®.
  • If you are allergic to growth hormone, benzyl alcohol, sucrose, phosphoric acid or sodium hydroxide.
  • If you are taking any other medicines (both prescription or over the counter), vitamins, or supplements because these medicines may affect each other. Your doctor may need to monitor for drug-drug interactions.
  • If you are nursing, pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Serostim® passes into your breast milk or could harm your unborn baby.

What are the most common side effects of Serostim® reported in clinical trials in patients treated for HIV-associated wasting or cachexia?

  • Swelling, especially in the hands or feet or around the eyes
  • Bone, muscle, and joint pain or stiffness
  • Tingling, numbness and pain in the fingers, thumb or wrist
  • Breast enlargement in men
  • Nausea
  • Extreme tiredness

Other less common but serious side effects of Serostim® are:

  • High blood sugar (hyperglycemia/diabetes) which can include symptoms of increased thirst and urination, tiredness, or trouble concentrating
  • Serious allergic reactions that require immediate medical attention
  • Pain and tenderness in the abdomen
  • Headaches, changes in vision, nausea or vomiting, which requires immediate medical attention

These are not all of the possible side effects. Let your doctor know about any side effects you experience. Your doctor may prescribe a pain reliever or may decrease your dose of Serostim® to help manage some side effects.

You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

How should you administer Serostim®?

Patients and caregivers should be trained by a healthcare professional on how to mix and inject Serostim® prior to use. Never share Serostim® with another person, even if the needle is changed. Injection sites can include arms, legs, abdomen and should be changed daily.

Avoid injecting Serostim® in areas that are sore or bruised.

What is Serostim® (somatropin) for injection?

Serostim® is an injectable prescription medicine used for the treatment of HIV‑positive patients with wasting or cachexia to increase lean body mass and body weight, and improve physical endurance. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy at the same time is necessary.

 

Please see the full Prescribing Information and talk to your healthcare provider for complete information on Serostim® risks.

Emd Serono logo

COOKIE SETTINGS

This site is intended for U.S. residents and governed by U.S. laws and government regulations.
Use and access of this site are subject to the terms and conditions set out in our Legal Statement and Privacy Policy.

©2025 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
EMD Serono is the Healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada.
Serostim and the AXIS Center are registered trademarks of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates.
US-SER-00150 2/25

You are about to leave Serostim.com and are being redirected to another website. Click "Return" to keep browsing Serostim.com. To continue to the new website, click "Continue."

Continue to site
Return to Serostim.com