On Dec. 29, 1995, the Genentech drug Nutropin AQ ((somatropin) injection for subcutaneous use) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Nutropin AQ [somatropin (rDNA origin) injection] is a human growth hormone (hGH) that was produced by recombinant DNA technology.

The amino acid sequence of the product is identical to that of pituitary-derived human growth hormone. The protein is synthesized by a specific laboratory strain of E. coli as a precursor consisting of the rhGH molecule preceded by the secretion signal from an E. coli protein.