Last reviewed 2026-04-23 · How we verify

KW-6500

KW-6500 is a long-acting growth hormone secretagogue that stimulates growth hormone release by activating ghrelin receptors.

KW-6500 is a long-acting growth hormone secretagogue that stimulates growth hormone release by activating ghrelin receptors. Used for Growth hormone deficiency in adults.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

KW-6500 acts as a ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist, mimicking the action of endogenous ghrelin to stimulate pituitary growth hormone secretion. This mechanism aims to increase circulating growth hormone levels in patients with growth hormone deficiency or related conditions. The long-acting formulation allows for less frequent dosing compared to shorter-acting growth hormone secretagogues.

Approved indications

• Growth hormone deficiency in adults

Common side effects

• Increased appetite
• Injection site reactions
• Headache
• Hyperglycemia

Key clinical trials

• Phase 2 Clinical Study of KW-6500 in Parkinson's Disease Patients With Motor Response Complication on Levodopa Therapy (PHASE2)
• Long-Term Safety Study of KW-6500 in Patients With Parkinson's Disease (PHASE3)
• Extended Long-Term Safety Study of KW-6500 (PHASE3)
• Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Crossover Comparative Study of KW-6500 (PHASE3)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• KW-6500 CI brief — competitive landscape report
• KW-6500 updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. portfolio CI