Legal status · Canada
Is Mecasermin legal in Canada?
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
Direct answer
Yes. Mecasermin is an approved medicine in Canada, classified as "Health Canada approved, prescription only". Approval covers its labeled indication and it is supplied on prescription, not over the counter. Products labeled "research use only" fall outside that approval and the label does not make human use lawful. On the evidence, 5 human studies are cited on its profile.
Mecasermin in Canada at a glance
| Classification | Health Canada approved, prescription only |
|---|---|
| Note | Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance to Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Canada in December 2020 for severe primary IGF-1 deficiency in patients aged two to eighteen. Before that it was available only through the Special Access Programme. |
| Health Canada approval status | Approved by Health Canada for its labeled use |
| Human studies cited | 5 of 5 citations on the profile |
| Reviewed | Sep 2026 |
Classification and note come from the Mecasermin profile, checked against Health Canada, Health Products and Food Branch (Health Canada) listings at the reviewed date.
What this means
- 01
Health Canada has approved Mecasermin for at least one labeled indication, so a pharmaceutical-grade product exists in Canada and is dispensed on prescription.
- 02
Approval is indication-specific. Uses outside the label are a clinical decision for a prescriber, not something the approval itself authorizes.
- 03
Unlicensed online vials, including those labeled "research use only", are not the approved product and are not covered by the approval.
What Mecasermin is
An approved medicine, and only for a rare paediatric deficiency. In 76 children with severe IGF-1 deficiency, height velocity rose from 2.8 cm per year at baseline to 8.0 cm per year in the first year, and 49 percent had hypoglycaemia. Among registry patients followed to the end of puberty, mean height moved from about 3.7 to about 2.6 standard deviations below the mean in boys: better, still short.
Mecasermin is recombinant human IGF-1, the mature 70 amino acid hormone, given by subcutaneous injection twice daily with food. It is the only entry in this batch that is an approved medicine, and it is approved for one narrow thing: growth failure in children and adolescents with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency, and in children with growth hormone gene deletion who have developed neutralising antibodies to growth hormone.
Mechanism: Mecasermin binds the IGF-1 receptor, a receptor tyrosine kinase, activating PI3K/Akt and MAPK signalling to drive cell growth, protein synthesis and, at the growth plate, linear bone growth. It also has meaningful affinity for the insulin receptor, which is the direct reason hypoglycaemia is the principal adverse effect and why the product is dosed with a meal.
Regulatory history: FDA-approved. INCRELEX (mecasermin), BLA 021839, sponsor Ipsen, original approval 30 August 2005, prescription only. Indicated for growth failure in children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency and in children with growth hormone gene deletion who have developed neutralising antibodies to growth hormone. It is not approved for adults, for sarcopenia, for recovery or for any performance use.
How Health Canada treats this kind of product
Authorises drugs for sale through a Notice of Compliance and Drug Identification Number. A compound that is not authorised for sale cannot lawfully be sold for human use, and personal importation of prescription drugs is limited.
The classification above is the The Longevity Archive reading of Health Canada, Health Products and Food Branch listings for Mecasermin at the reviewed date, not a legal opinion. Rules change, and importing, prescribing and possessing a compound can each be treated differently. Check the regulator directly before acting on anything here.
Mecasermin in other countries
Frequently asked questions
Is Mecasermin legal in Canada?
Yes. Mecasermin is an approved medicine in Canada, classified as "Health Canada approved, prescription only". Approval covers its labeled indication and it is supplied on prescription, not over the counter. Products labeled "research use only" fall outside that approval and the label does not make human use lawful. On the evidence, 5 human studies are cited on its profile. Note: Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance to Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Canada in December 2020 for severe primary IGF-1 deficiency in patients aged two to eighteen. Before that it was available only through the Special Access Programme.
Can I buy Mecasermin in Canada?
Only with a prescription. Mecasermin is classified as "Health Canada approved, prescription only" in Canada, so it is dispensed by pharmacies against a prescription for its approved indication. Buying it from unlicensed online sellers or as a "research chemical" is outside that system and carries no regulatory protection. Note: Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance to Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Canada in December 2020 for severe primary IGF-1 deficiency in patients aged two to eighteen. Before that it was available only through the Special Access Programme.
Is Mecasermin Health Canada approved?
Yes, for its labeled indication. In Canada Mecasermin is classified as "Health Canada approved, prescription only". For comparison, the US FDA status is: FDA-approved. INCRELEX (mecasermin), BLA 021839, sponsor Ipsen, original approval 30 August 2005, prescription only. Indicated for growth failure in children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency and in children with growth hormone gene deletion who have developed neutralising antibodies to growth hormone. It is not approved for adults, for sarcopenia, for recovery or for any performance use.. On the evidence, 5 human studies are cited on its profile.
Related compounds in Canada
Full research profile
Mechanism, cited studies, FDA status and the full legal summary for Mecasermin live on its compound profile.
Mecasermin profileThis page is general information about the regulatory status of Mecasermin in Canada, current as of Sep 2026. It is not legal advice, and classifications change; check Health Canada, Health Products and Food Branch directly or consult a lawyer for a specific situation. Educational use only. This database summarizes published research. It is not medical advice and contains no dosing protocols or recommendations for personal use. The Longevity Archive has no vendor relationships and does not recommend where to buy anything.