Related Articles Results

Friday Mar 12, 2010
Long-term Bisphosphonate Use May Actually Increase Fracture Risk
The osteoporosis drugs may boost bone quantity at the expense of bone quality, eventually weakening users' bones...

Wednesday Oct 28, 2009
Third RA Patient Has PML After Rituximab
The FDA's MedWatch warning system reports that a third rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient treated with Genentech's Rituxan (rituximab) has developed PML, this time without prior anti-TNF exposure...

Monday Oct 19, 2009
Denosumab Approval Faces Delay
FDA-watchers predict that the agency will miss the October 19th target set for denosumab approval by as much as 3 months...

Tuesday Sep 29, 2009
Fibromyalgia Goes Legit
Better understanding of the brain chemistry anomalies in fibromyalgia have paved the way toward more effective treatments for this pain disorder...

Friday Sep 11, 2009
Splits Form Over How to Address Bone Loss
Osteopenia—bone density that is below what is considered normal but not low enough to be considered osteoporosis—can be a confusing diagnosis, and experts are split over whether patients should begin taking drugs to inhibit bone loss when only in the osteopenia stage

Thursday Aug 27, 2009
Study: Hip Fracture Rates On the Decline in Canada
Hip fracture rates in Canada have been declining since 1985, with a more rapid drop between 1996 and 2005...

Thursday Jul 30, 2009
GSK Buys $120 Million Piece of Denosumab
GlaxoSmithKline will share denosumab osteoporosis sales in Europe and emerging markets...

Thursday Jun 11, 2009
RA Bone Changes May Offer New Treatment Target
Osteoporosis and erosions appear loosely linked in some RA patients...

Friday Jun 05, 2009
FDA OKs 2-Year Reclast for Osteoporosis
Reclast (zoledronic acid) injection has been approved as the first therapy to prevent osteoporosis for 2 years with a single dose...

Thursday Apr 30, 2009
Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement? Sometimes.
Minimally invasive knee arthroplasty may be appropriate for select patients when performed by an experienced surgeon...

Thursday Apr 23, 2009
Look for More Rx-to-OTC Drug Switches
The recession is likely to drive more OTC drug use...

Tuesday Apr 21, 2009
Lupus Damage at 10 Years Predicts Mortality
More than half of all lupus patients accrue damage within 10 years of their diagnosis, and these patients are at greater risk for death as a result...

Monday Apr 20, 2009
Forteo May Help Mend Non-Healing Fractures
Subcutaneous daily injections of parathyroid hormone (teriparatide, Forteo, Eli Lilly and Co) may help heal painful non-union or delayed union fractures by stimulating bone stem cells...

Thursday Apr 16, 2009
Once-a-Year Drug Helps Counter Steroid-Linked Bone Loss
A yearly injection of Reclast was found to be more effective at preventing and/or reversing bone loss for patients with asthma or RA than daily bisphosphonate pills…

Monday Apr 13, 2009
Caffeine May Be New Rx for Pain-Free Exercise
Jumpstarting a workout with a jolt of java or another readily available caffeinated beverage may reduce the pain associated with exercise...

Wednesday Apr 08, 2009
FDA Warns Pharma on "Sponsored Links"
FDA has warned 14 pharmaceutical companies about the brief ads that accompany internet search results...

Friday Mar 27, 2009
Fablyn^® OK'ed in EU for Osteoporosis, Still on Hold in US
Pfizer-Ligand's Fablyn^® (lasofoxifene) has been approved by European regulators, just months after failing to win FDA approval in the US...

Thursday Mar 12, 2009
Judge Puts Generic Evista on Hold
A US District Court has put a 10-day hold on Teva Pharmaceuticals' plan to launch a generic version of Eli Lilly's Evista (raloxifene) osteoporosis drug...

Monday Mar 02, 2009
Early Screening, Osteoporosis Treatment Needed to Reduce Hip Fracture Rates
Early osteoporosis screening and treatment are being pushed worldwide as orthopaedic surgeons try to stem the tide of hip fractures in aging populations...

Tuesday Feb 10, 2009
Each Osteoporotic Fracture Ups Death Risk
Women and men age 60 years or older who sustain a low-trauma osteoporotic fracture are at an increased risk of dying during the following 5 to 10 years...

Monday Feb 02, 2009
Rituximab B-Cell Depletion Stops JIA
Systemic onset JIA responded dramatically to B-cell depletion with rituximab...

Thursday Jan 29, 2009
Bone Health in Men: Influencing Factors
According to the results of a bone health questionnaire, many men believe that they will not be affected by osteoporosis at all or as severely as women, and thus do not follow lifestyle recommendations to protect their bone mass…

Tuesday Jan 27, 2009
Bone Up on Depression, Osteoporosis Links
Depression and osteoporosis appear linked, perhaps by neuroendocrine dysfunction...

Monday Jan 26, 2009
4 Factors in Lupus Noncompliance
Lupus patients cite specific reasons for taking (or not taking) their meds. Changes in physician-patient communications might fix some of these problems...

Wednesday Jan 21, 2009
FDA Grounds Pfizer's Fablyn Osteoporosis Drug
Pfizer's Fablyn (lasofoxifene) is still on hold as FDA seeks more safety data...

Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Study Links Osteoporosis Drugs to Jaw Trouble
People taking oral osteoporosis drugs may have a higher risk of developing jaw trouble than previously thought...

Tuesday Dec 16, 2008
Osteoporosis Drug Seems to Shrink Breast Tumors
Zoledronic acid (Zometa), used to treat osteoporosis patients, also appears to shrink tumors in breast cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy…

Tuesday Dec 02, 2008
Medicaid DXA Cuts Jeopardize Osteoporosis Care
If Medicaid reimbursement cuts for dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are not reversed, experts predict a surge in osteoporotic fractures that will raise costs far beyond the DXA cost savings...

Monday Dec 01, 2008
Bone Finding May Point to Hope for Osteoporosis
Serotonin formed in the gut, whose use has long been a mystery to researchers, may play a critical role in bone formation…

Thursday Nov 20, 2008
FDA Says Bisphosphonates Do Not Cause Atrial Fibrillation
The FDA has concluded that there is no causal link between the use of bisphosphonates and atrial fibrillation...

Thursday Nov 13, 2008
H. pylori Suspected in Oral Bisphosphonate Intolerance, SSc Stomach Problems
Helicobacter pylori infects nearly half of patients who cannot tolerate oral bisphosphonates and over 80% of systemic sclerosis patients. Treating H. pylori might reduce GI problems and increase treatment options in these and other rheumatoid conditions...

Thursday Nov 13, 2008
Parathyroid Hormone Patch May Increase BMD and Adherence
A new patch that delivers parathyroid hormone (PTH) may increase spine and hip BMD and avoid some of the compliance issues seen with subcutaneous daily injections of PTH…

Tuesday Nov 11, 2008
For Women, Red Flags About a Hip Device
Hip resurfacing is a popular alternative to traditional hip replacement surgery, but data is beginning to indicate that the technique has a significant failure rate in women…

Thursday Oct 30, 2008
Merck, Japan Tobacco in Osteoporosis Drug Deal
Merck and Japan Tobacco announced a worldwide licensing agreement to develop and commercialize JTT-305, an investigational oral osteoanabolic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis...

Wednesday Oct 29, 2008
Denosumab Bests Alendronate for Increasing Bone Mass
One year of denosumab was more likely to produce a 3% gain in hip or spine bone mass than one year of alendronate...

Thursday Oct 23, 2008
Tamoxifen Cuts Fracture Risk
The breast cancer drug tamoxifen has been found to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures, but the protection against fractures diminshes after treatment with the drug ends…

Monday Oct 20, 2008
Bone Health Organizations Around the Globe Mark World Osteoporosis Day
October 20th is World Osteoporosis Day, which is the launch of a campaign to mobilize public opinion to generate change in osteoporosis healthcare policies…

Thursday Oct 16, 2008
Novartis Reports Once-Yearly Aclasta^® Approved in EU to Treat Osteoporosis in Men; Label to Include Reduction of New Fractures Following Hip Fracture in Men and Postmenopausal Women
The European Commission followed the US FDA in approving once-yearly Aclasta for the treatment of osteoporosis in men who are at increased risk of fractures, and has broadened the drug’s label to include reduction of new fractures in men and postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who have recently suffered a hip fracture...

Thursday Oct 02, 2008
Vitamin C Protects Some Elderly Men From Bone Loss
Eating nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables can protect elderly men from the bone loss that leads to hip fractures…

Friday Sep 26, 2008
ASBMR Reports Show 68% Drop in Spinal Fractures With Denosumab, Stronger Effect on Bone Turnover Than With Alendronate, High Patient Preference
Studies reported at the 2008 ASBMR meeting showed that denosumab, which is given twice yearly, was as effective as the best competing agents at preventing osteoporotic fractures. Denosumab produced greater gains in BMD than alendronate and was preferred to once-weekly oral alendronate...

Friday Sep 19, 2008
Axial Biotech Initiates Clinical Field Test for ScoliScore™ AIS Prognostic Test
The ScoliScore™ AIS Prognostic Test can determine whether a child has a mild or more severe likelihood of curve progression, at the first presentation of symptoms...

Monday Sep 15, 2008
ACR REF Clinical and Translational Research Grants Target Better Ways to Monitor Response to Arthritis Care, Genetics, Heart and Bone Health in RA Patients
Six major grants from the ACR Research and Education Foundation show the growing importance of finding better ways to monitor response to (often expensive) RA care, decoding the genetic underpinnings of arthritis, and protecting arthritis patients’ hearts and bones in long-term care...

Thursday Aug 28, 2008
Experts Urge More Attention to Vitamin D in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin D not only helps prevent steroid-induced osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis but might also help reduce falls and modulate disease activity...

Thursday Aug 28, 2008
Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies
Some infants are not getting enough vitamin D from breast milk, beginning a life plagued by vitamin D deficiency and bone health problems...

Wednesday Aug 27, 2008
Researchers Home in On Role of TNF in RA Bone Destruction
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) decreases osteoblast numbers via an enzyme called Smad Ubiquitin Regulatory Factor 1 (SMURF1), which shuts down two proteins that would otherwise drive bone formation…

Monday Aug 25, 2008
Emisphere Reports Full Recruitment of Study Evaluating Eligen^® Technology and Salmon Calcitonin on Vertebral Fractures in Postmenopausal Women
Emisphere Technologies announced that recruitment is finished for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study of oral salmon calcitonin in the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women taking calcium and vitamin D...

Wednesday Aug 20, 2008
Zoledronic Acid Prevents Chemo-Induced Bone Loss in Premenopausal Women With Breast Cancer
As the population of breast cancer survivors grows, the risks of life after cancer treatment are becoming a major concern. One risk is bone loss caused by chemotherapy, and phase III data show that a dose of zoledronic acid every 3 months during chemotherapy can prevent this problem in premenopausal women with breast cancer...

Tuesday Aug 12, 2008
Powerful Antacid Drugs Raise Fracture Risk
Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors may elevate the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures…

Wednesday Aug 06, 2008
Statins May Help Bone Healing
Statins may improve bone healing, according to new research in an animal model of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)…

Thursday Jul 17, 2008
Drugs to Build Bones May Weaken Them
A small group of people taking bisphosphonates for 5 or more years to treat osteoporosis have had their bones weakened by the drugs that are intended to promote better bone health…

Tuesday Jul 08, 2008
Rheumatologists Can Expect to See More HIV-Related Joint Problems as Mortality Drops
Mortality in HIV-infected patients has dropped comparable with general population levels, especially in those who begin highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) early, and one result is that rheumatologists can expect to see more long-term HIV survivors with joint problems related to the underlying HIV, treatment, or aging...

Thursday Jul 03, 2008
Heel Ultrasound Improves Osteoporosis Diagnosis
A heel quantitative ultrasound coupled with an assessment of specific osteoporosis-related risk factors in patients can help doctors predict fracture risk and decide who would need further screening with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)…

Thursday Jul 03, 2008
Small Protein May Have Big Role In Making More Bone And Less Fat
The protein GILZ may be the key to developing therapies to fight both obesity and osteoporosis…

Monday Jun 30, 2008
Preclinical Studies Show that IGF-1-Producing Adult Stem Cells Zoom to Fracture Site, Speed Healing
Preclinical data reported at the 2008 ENDO meeting show that adult stem cell injections might be one approach to treating nonhealing osteoporotic fractures...

Wednesday Jun 25, 2008
Endocrinologists Wrestle With Question of How Long to Continue Bisphosphonate Therapy for Osteoporosis
The jury is still out when it comes to how long bisphosphonate therapy should be continued…

Monday Jun 23, 2008
Lilly, TransPharma Ink Licensing and Development Agreement for Transdermal PTH Program for Osteoporosis
Eli Lilly and TransPharma have entered into a licensing and development agreement for ViaDerm, an agent for the treatment of osteoporosis. Phase II clinical testing of the agent is currently underway...

Monday Jun 23, 2008
More Zoledronic Acid Fracture Reduction Data Reported at Endocrine Society Meeting
Yearly infusions of zoledronic acid 5 mg reduced fractures and increased bone mineral density (BMD) when administered with or without concomitant osteoporosis therapy…

Monday Jun 23, 2008
Hip Fracture Hospitalizations Drop in US Despite Aging Population
New research conducted by a 17-year-old high school student suggests that the US is having a significant impact on the osteoporosis epidemic...

Thursday Jun 19, 2008
Influence of Musculoskeletal Conditions on Oral Health Among Older Adults
Several musculoskeletal diseases negatively influence oral health, but damage can be minimized with simple and inexpensive measures…

Tuesday Jun 10, 2008
Novartis’ Once-Yearly Reclast^® Injection 5 mg Receives Revised US Label; Indication to Include Prevention of Fractures After a Hip Fracture
The FDA has broadened the indication for once-yearly Reclast^® (zoledronic acid) for postmenopausal osteoporosis to include the prevention of new clinical fractures in patients who have recently had a low-trauma hip fracture...

Monday Jun 09, 2008
Genta Announces Phase I Clinical Trial Results for G4544, an Oral Formulation of Gallium Nitrate, a Novel Potent Drug for Bone Disease
Results from the phase I clinical trial of G4544 showed that the drug was well-tolerated and that blood levels were achieved in a range known to be clinically bioactive...

Thursday Jun 05, 2008
Less Osteoporosis Care, More Hip Fractures Seen in Europe vs Other Countries
European doctors are less likely to screen for or treat osteoporosis, and hip fracture rates in Europe are higher than in North America or Australia, according to baseline data from the ongoing Global Longitudinal registry of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW)…

Monday Jun 02, 2008
Osteologix Reports Additional Positive Phase II Data for NB S101 (strontium malonate) for Osteoporosis
Osteologix reported that the osteoporosis drug candidate was well-tolerated and significantly suppressed bone resorption while simultaneously improving bone mineral density (BMD) at 12 weeks...

Thursday May 29, 2008
Bone Drug Might Prevent Breast Cancer Spread
Zoledronic acid (Zometa^®) may help prevent the spread of locally advanced breast cancer into the bone marrow…

Wednesday May 28, 2008
Wyeth Receives Approval Letter From FDA for Bazedoxifene to Treat Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The US FDA has issued an approval letter for Wyeth's bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Tuesday May 27, 2008
More Risedronate Efficacy Data Reported at AACE Meeting
A series of papers reported at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 2008 meeting adds to evidence that risedronate (Actonel^®) can substantially reduce fracture risk, even when taken only 2 days per month...

Tuesday May 27, 2008
Factors Associated With Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Among Bisphosphonate Users
Researchers found a multitude of factors associated with the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw among patients taking bisphosphonates for an indication other than cancer...

Friday May 23, 2008
Iatrogenic Problems Reported in Low Back Pain, Osteoporosis Patients at AACE Meeting
Cases of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (CS) from intra-articular triamcinolone and iatrogenic hypercalcemia from combined teriparatide-hydrochlorothiazide were reported at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 2008 meeting...

Wednesday May 21, 2008
Amgen’s 2nd Phase III Denosumab Osteoporosis Study Meets Primary, Secondary BMD Endpoints in Alendronate Transition Study; Transition Patients Achieved Superior Gains in BMD
Amgen's trial comparing the effects of denosumab vs continued alendronate therapy on bone mineral density demonstrated superior results for primary and all secondary endpoints...

Monday May 19, 2008
AACE Experts Warn of Vitamin D Problems in Vegans, Urge Routine Monitoring in Osteoporosis Patients
Vitamin D deficiency research reported at the 2008 American Association for Clinical Endocrinology meetings included a warning about vegan diets, evidence that osteoporosis patients in treatment are still not getting enough vitamin D, and evidence that even a hip fracture does not lead to adequate vitamin D therapy...

Tuesday May 13, 2008
Osteologix’s IND for NB S101 (strontium malonate) to Treat Osteoporosis Accepted by US FDA
The US FDA has accepted Osteologix's IND application for NB S101 (strontium malonate), a dual-acting bone agent, to treat and prevent osteoporosis...

Thursday May 08, 2008
Docs Issue Guideline on Screening for Osteoporosis in Men
New clinical guidelines for screening may combat the expected 50% increase in osteoporosis cases in men…

Friday May 02, 2008
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Passes Congress, Heads for White House
Both houses of Congress have passed legislation that bans discrimination in employment, insurance, and other areas based on an individual’s genetic makeup, and the bill is expected to be quickly signed into law by President George W. Bush...

Friday May 02, 2008
Icelandic and British Researchers ID Five New Osteoporosis Genes
New research spotlighting five genetic loci associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures may provide insight into the biochemical pathways that underlie osteoporosis…

Thursday May 01, 2008
Cola May Be Bad to the Bones
High consumption of soda may contribute to lower bone mass and the eventual development of osteoporosis…

Tuesday Apr 29, 2008
Alendronate Linked to Atrial Fibrillation
A case-control study reports that women who have used alendronate are nearly twice as likely to develop atrial fibrillation as those who have never used bisphosphonates...

Friday Apr 25, 2008
FDA Approves New Once-a-Month Dose of Actonel^® (risedronate sodium) for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The US FDA has approved a new once-a-month dose (150 mg) of Actonel^® (risedronate sodium) tablets for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Monday Apr 21, 2008
Loop Diuretics Pose Osteoporosis Risk for Older Men
Loop diuretics greatly increase hip bone loss in men over age 65...

Friday Apr 18, 2008
Novartis Announces Once-Yearly Reclast Better Than Risedronate at Increasing BMD in GIO Patients; US FDA Approval Sought for Treatment and Prevention of GIO
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp reported that a once-yearly infusion of Reclast^® (zoledronic acid) injection 5 mg was significantly better than risedronate at increasing BMD in patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis...

Wednesday Apr 16, 2008
Lilly’s Forsteo^® Receives Approval From European Commission for the Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis
Eli Lilly and Co announced that the European Commission has approved a new indication for Forsteo^® (teriparatide [rDNA origin] injection) for the treatment of sustained, systemic glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in adults at increased risk for fracture...

Tuesday Apr 15, 2008
Novartis Says Aclasta Better at Boosting Bone Mass
Novartis reported study results indicating a once-yearly infusion of Aclasta is more effective than risedronate at increasing bone mass in patients taking steroids...

Thursday Apr 10, 2008
Raloxifene Safe for Women With Decreased Kidney Function
The osteoporosis drug raloxifene is safe for women with CKD, effectively promotes bone density, and reduces fractures…

Wednesday Apr 09, 2008
Amgen Phase III Data Show Denosumab, an Inhibitor of RANK Ligand, Increased Bone Density at Multiple Skeletal Sites in Early and Later Stage Postmenopausal Women
Amgen announced results from its study in women with early and late stage postmenopausal osteoporosis that show twice-yearly subcutaneous injections of denosumab increased bone mineral density (BMD) at all sites measured...

Tuesday Apr 08, 2008
Testosterone Therapy May Reduce Bone Loss in Older Men
Testosterone injections may improve bone density and prevent osteoporosis in older men with low testosterone levels…

Monday Apr 07, 2008
Radius Fills Enrollment of Phase II Trial of BA058 for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women; Milestone Triggers $28.3 Million Financing
Radius Health, Inc announced the completion of patient enrollment in its phase II clinical trial of BA058, an analog of hPTHrP (human parathyroid hormone-related protein)...

Wednesday Apr 02, 2008
DEXA Scans, Serum Testosterone, Vitamin D Tests Urged for Men Over 70
Osteoporosis in men is a common problem and requires more aggressive diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of response...

Thursday Mar 20, 2008
Pain Relief for Osteoporosis Patients With Fractures
Vertobroplasty provides significant pain relief for osteoporosis patients with spinal fractures…

Thursday Mar 20, 2008
Sickle Cell Bone Disease: Response to Vitamin D and Calcium
Patients with sickle cell disease should be screened for vitamin D deficiency and low bone mineral density…

Wednesday Mar 19, 2008
LRP5 Gene Variants Linked to Fractures, Lower BMD
Common LRP5 gene variants are associated with an increased risk for fractures and lower levels of bone mineral density (BMD) in the spine and hip across different white populations…

Tuesday Mar 18, 2008
Risks of Cancer Among Men and Women With Osteoporosis
Early onset osteoporosis may be associated with an increased risk of cancer, whereas later onset osteoporosis may lead to a decreased risk of cancer…

Monday Mar 17, 2008
More Support for WHO's FRAX Fracture Risk Assessment Tool
The International Osteoporosis Foundation hails the use of the new algorithm called FRAX^™, which is based on absolute fracture risk and takes bone mineral density (BMD) and 9 specific clinical risk factors into account to estimate a patient's 10-year fracture risk…

Thursday Mar 13, 2008
Thyroid Hormone Could One Day Treat Osteoporosis
Thyroid stimulating hormone prevented bone loss in experiments with mice and rats...

Tuesday Mar 11, 2008
Lilly’s Forsteo^® Receives Positive Opinion From European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use to Treat Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis
Eli Lilly and Co announced that they have received a positive opinion recommending approval of Forsteo^® (teriparatide [rDNA origin] injection) for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in adults at increased risk for fracture...

Tuesday Mar 04, 2008
Karo Bio AB, Zydus Cadila to Develop Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulators to Treat Inflammatory Diseases; Karo Reacquires Rights to SARMs From Radius 
Karo Bio AB and Zydus Cadila announced a 3-year research collaboration to discover and develop novel, selective glucocorticoid receptor (GR) modulators for the treatment of inflammatory diseases...

Tuesday Mar 04, 2008

Tuesday Mar 04, 2008
P&G Wins Patent Infringement Lawsuit for Osteoporosis Therapy Actonel^®; Teva to Appeal Court Ruling
Procter & Gamble announced that the US District Court of Delaware ruled in its favor in the patent infringement lawsuit the company filed against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc...

Monday Feb 25, 2008
New Guide Helps Predict 10-Year Fracture Risk
A new guide can help doctors evaluate fracture risk and make treatment decisions in patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis...

Tuesday Feb 05, 2008
Inverse Relationship Between Vertebral Fractures and Spine Osteoarthritis in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis
Disc space narrowing decreases the incidence of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis...

Monday Feb 04, 2008
Cochrane Review: Alendronate Safe, Effective for Secondary Fracture Prevention
Alendronate can stave off vertebral, nonvertebral, hip, and wrist fractures among postmenopausal women with low bone density and/or those with previous fractures...

Monday Jan 28, 2008
Amgen Reports Denosumab Osteoporosis Study Met Primary and All Secondary BMD Endpoints in a Direct Comparison With Weekly Alendronate (Fosamax®)
Amgen Inc announced findings from a head-to-head, double-blind study comparing the effects of twice-yearly subcutaneous injections of denosumab versus weekly oral doses of alendronate in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density...

Friday Jan 25, 2008
Low Serum Testosterone Predicts Fracture Risk in Older Men
Men with serum testosterone <294 ng/dL have a significantly increased risk of nontraumatic fracture and should be referred for bone density assessment...

Friday Jan 18, 2008
Bone Experts Slam New UK Limits on Osteoporosis Drugs
Some of the biggest names in osteoporosis have signed on to two papers in Bone that criticize the latest UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendations on drugs for prevention of osteoporotic fractures, in essence charging that the agency gamed its analysis to cut costs for the National Health Service...

Thursday Dec 20, 2007
New EULAR Recommendations on Systemic Glucocorticoids Stress Monitoring for Adverse Events
EULAR has issued new evidence-based recommendations on the management of systemic glucocorticoid therapy in rheumatic diseases...

Tuesday Dec 18, 2007
Amgen's Pivotal Phase III Data Show Denosumab With Twice-Yearly Dosing Increased BMD Throughout Skeleton in Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer Patients on Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy; Study Met All Primary and Secondary Endpoints
Amgen Inc announced that pivotal phase III data show that denosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that specifically targets the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand, a key mediator of the resorptive phase of bone remodeling, increased bone mineral density throughout the skeleton in nonmetastatic breast cancer patients on adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy...

Monday Dec 10, 2007
Doctors Rally to Save DXA from Medicare Cuts
If proposed Medicare cuts that would drastically reduce access to dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are approved, many physicians will be unable able to offer DXA services in their offices and undetected osteoporotic fracture rates are likely to climb, healthcare researchers predict...

Thursday Dec 06, 2007
IM Vitamin D Provides Little Fracture Protection in Relatively Healthy, Community-Dwelling Elderly
If fracture risk in the elderly is associated with low vitamin D levels, why doesn't an annual vitamin D injection reduce fracture rates?...

Friday Nov 30, 2007
Osteoporosis Also Contributes to High-Trauma Fractures

Thursday Nov 29, 2007
Osteoporosis Also Contributes to High-Trauma Fractures
Physicians should evaluate older patients with high-trauma nonspine fractures for osteoporosis...

Monday Nov 26, 2007
Teriparatide Builds More Bone Than Alendronate in Steroid-Caused Osteoporosis
Teriparatide built more bone mass and prevented more vertebral fractures than alendronate in the first head-to-head study of the two drugs for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis...

Wednesday Nov 07, 2007
Osteologix Reports Osteoporosis Phase II Trial of Strontium Malonate Meets Primary Endpoint
Osteologix, Inc, a specialty biopharmaceutical company targeting musculoskeletal diseases, announced positive top-line results of an international, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled phase II dose-response of its lead investigational drug, strontium malonate (NB S101) for osteoporosis...

Friday Nov 02, 2007
Strontium Ranelate May Slow Osteoarthritis Progression
The osteoporosis drug strontium ranelate (Protelos®) may stop or slow the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and also might alleviate back pain...

Thursday Oct 25, 2007
Prostate Cancer Doubles Fracture Risk
Men with prostate cancer treated with orchidectomy or androgen deprivation are at increased risk for fractures, particularly of the hip, and should have bone density evaluated regularly...

Thursday Oct 25, 2007
Galápagos, Janssen Form Global Alliance to Develop Oral Small Molecule Therapeutics for Multiple Targets in RA 
Galápagos NV, a drug discovery company with clinical and preclinical programs in bone and joint diseases, announced that it has entered into a worldwide multitarget alliance with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Monday Oct 15, 2007
Enlarging Bone Marrow Lesions Add to Knee Pain

Research shows that new onset knee pain was strongly linked with an increase of two or more units in bone marrow lesions...

Friday Oct 12, 2007
Novartis' Aclasta® Receives EU Approval as First Once-Yearly Treatment for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG announced that Aclasta® (zoledronic acid 5 mg) has received EU approval as the first once-yearly treatment for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Thursday Oct 04, 2007
Celera Receives Clinical Milestone Payment Based on Merck's Advancement of Odanacatib, a Cathepsin K Inhibitor; Phase III Trial for Osteoporosis Initiated
Celera, an Applera Corp business, announced a clinical milestone payment of $2 million from Merck & Co, Inc, under the cathepsin K inhibitor collaboration agreement between the companies...

Friday Sep 28, 2007
Surprise Data From ASBMR: Keep Antiresorptive Going When Adding Teriparatide
A randomized trial testing whether osteoporosis patients on long-term antiresorptive treatment benefit more from switching to teriparatide or from adding the new drug shows conclusively that it is better to add than to switch...

Wednesday Sep 26, 2007

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Begins Phase II, Dose-Finding Trial of Cobiprostone, a Chloride-Channel Activator, for the Prevention of NSAID-Induced Ulcers in Arthritis Patients

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc, announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a multicenter, phase II, dose-finding trial evaluating the prostone cobiprostone (SPI-8811) for the prevention of ulcers and other gastrointestinal injuries in arthritis patients treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)...

Tuesday Sep 25, 2007
Radius Grants Novartis Exclusive Option to License BA058, an Analog of PTHrP, for Osteoporosis; Potentially Worth Over $500 Million 
Radius Health, Inc, a company focused on the discovery and development of drug therapies for osteoporosis and women's health, announced that it has granted Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp an option to obtain an exclusive worldwide license (except Japan) to develop and commercialize all formulations of BA058, its postmenopausal osteoporosis drug candidate...

Tuesday Sep 25, 2007
Alendronate-Related Giant Osteoclasts Reported by Two Research Groups at ASBMR

Long-term alendronate triggers formation of a new type of giant osteoclast that might lead to mistaken diagnosis of Paget's disease that does not appear to have resorptive ability, and that can still transmit signals needed by osteoclasts for bone formation, perhaps even increasing the efficacy of teriparatide...

Tuesday Sep 18, 2007
Inhaler Might Replace PTH Self-Injection to Prevent Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Parathyroid hormone effectively increases postmenopausal BMD but has the downside of requiring self injection, which decreases compliance. Delivery of a PTH analogue via a dry-powder inhaler might be just as good...Morley P, et al. ASBMR 2007.

Wednesday Sep 05, 2007
Health Canada Approves Actonel® 75 mg; First 2-Day Monthly Dosing Regimen to Treat Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The Alliance for Better Bone Health, formed in 1997 by Procter & Gamble and Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc (now part of sanofi-aventis) to promote bone health and disease awareness, announced that the government's Health Canada has approved Actonel® (risedronate sodium tablets) 75 mg, the first monthly 2-day dosing regimen for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Thursday Aug 30, 2007
Vitamin K₂ Supplements Protect Bone Architecture
Three years of dietary supplementation with vitamin K₂ maintained bone strength and architecture despite having little effect on BMD...

Tuesday Aug 28, 2007
Interleukin Genetics Collaborates With NYU Medical Center to Evaluate Genetic Patterns Associated With IL-1β Overproduction and Development of Polyarticular OA
Interleukin Genetics, a genetics-focused personalized health company, announced today that it has initiated a study on the genetics of osteoarthritis (OA) in collaboration with the Hospital for Joint Diseases of New York University Medical Center...

Monday Aug 20, 2007
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast® Receives US FDA Approval for Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that its once-yearly, 15-minute infusion treatment of Reclast® (zoledronic acid) injection has been approved by the US FDA for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Tuesday Aug 14, 2007
Xencor's XProâ„¢1595, a Dominant-Negative Inhibitor of Soluble TNFα, Demonstrates Target Selectivity and Attenuates Experimental Arthritis Without Suppressing Innate Immunity to Infection 
Xencor, Inc, a company developing protein and antibody therapeutics, announced positive preclinical data for XProâ„¢1595 DN-TNFâ„¢, a highly selective, dominant-negative (DN) inhibitor of soluble TNFα and a first-in-class protein therapeutic drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Thursday Aug 09, 2007
Osteoporosis Screening, Treatment Recommended for Older Men Only if History of Fracture or Over Age 80
Osteoporosis screening of all men over age 70 plus bisphosphonates for those with osteoporosis is not a cost-effective strategy for fracture prevention at current drug cost levels but might be reasonable for men 65 or older with prior fracture and for men 80 or older even without prior fracture...Schousboe JT, et al. JAMA. 2007;298:629-637.

Thursday Aug 02, 2007
Stem Cell Transplants Offer Hope for Children With Severe, Refractory JIA
Intensive immunosuppression followed by T-cell-depleted autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation offers refractory JIA patients a chance for remission, but is it worth the risks?…Brinkman DMC, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2410-2421.

Wednesday Jul 25, 2007
Hip Protectors Fail to Prevent Hip Fracture in Nursing Home Residents
Energy-absorbing/shunting hip protectors do not protect nursing home residents from hip fractures…Kiel DP, et al. JAMA. 2007;298:413-422.

Tuesday Jul 24, 2007
Novartis Receives Positive Opinion Supporting EU Approval for Aclasta® as the First Once-Yearly Treatment for Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG announced that it has been informed by the European Medicines Agency that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion on the marketing application for the use of Aclasta®.

Monday Jul 09, 2007
P&GP and Dong Wha Form Osteoporosis Alliance
Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, and Dong Wha Pharmaceutical Ind Co, a leading Korean pharmaceutical company, announced a strategic alliance under which P&GP will have rights to develop and commercialize Dong Wha's novel class of molecules for the treatment of osteoporosis, including the drug DW 1350 and a family of backup compounds...

Thursday Jun 07, 2007
High Plasma Homocysteine Predicts Hip Fracture
Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) may be a modifiable risk factor for osteoporotic hip fracture...

Monday Jun 04, 2007
Is Resistance Exercise the Fountain of Youth?

Resistance training may help reverse aging in skeletal muscle by altering mitochondrial function among healthy seniors...

Monday May 21, 2007
Risedronate Bests Alendronate for Fracture Reduction in REAL-World Setting
Patients receiving once-weekly risedronate have lower rates of hip and nonvertebral fractures during their first year of therapy than their counterparts who receive once-weekly alendronate...

Tuesday May 15, 2007
TNF-α, IL-1 Mediate Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Blocking TNF-α or IL-1 can slow postmenopausal bone loss...

Monday May 07, 2007
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast^R Significantly Reduces Bone Fractures in Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that its once-yearly treatment of Reclast^R (zoledronic acid) significantly reduces the incidence of all types of osteoporotic bone fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Wednesday May 02, 2007
Yearly Injection of Zoledronic Acid Cuts Spine Fracture Risk by 70%
A single intravenous 5-mg dose of zoledronic acid (Reclast®), given once yearly, can significantly reduce the risk of vertebral, hip,and other fractures, but its major advantage may lie in the ease of administration…

Friday Apr 27, 2007
Wyeth Receives Approvable Letter from FDA for Bazedoxifene for the Prevention of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, announced that the US FDA has issued an approvable letter for bazedoxifene (ViviantTM), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Thursday Apr 26, 2007
Balance Training May Help Reverse Frailty, Prevent Osteoporosis-Related Fractures
Balance training alone or in combination with strength, agility and jumping training can reduce the risk of falls and prevent frailty in women at risk of osteoporosis…

Thursday Mar 29, 2007
FDG-PET Does Not Predict PMR Relapse But Does Show Inflammation of Processi Spinosi
FDG-PET did not help identify polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) patients at high risk for relapse but did reveal a high level of inflammation of the processi spinosi, a novel finding that might help explain the morning stiffness reported by so many PMR patients...

Tuesday Mar 27, 2007
Osteoporosis Fractures, Costs Expected to Jump 50% by 2025

Hispanics likely to experience increases in fractures and their costs. Pelvic fractures and associated costs are expected to double by 2025…

Wednesday Mar 21, 2007
BioMimetic Receives Orphan Drug Designation for rhPDGF-BB Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc, an emerging leader in developing and commercializing bioactive drug-device combination drugs to heal musculoskeletal injuries and disease, including periodontal, orthopaedic, spine and sports injuries, announced that it has received orphan drug designation from the US FDA for its protein therapeutic, recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF-BB)...

Monday Mar 19, 2007
Medivir Begins Initial Clinical Trial of Osteoporosis Drug Cathepsin K Inhibitor
Medivir AB, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, announced the start of its first osteoporosis clinical trial of MIV-701, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of cathepsin K, a thiol (cysteine) protease that is expressed by osteoclasts and degrades key bone and cartilage matrix proteins, including type 1 collagen...

Thursday Mar 15, 2007
Unigene Receives $5.5 Million Milestone Payment for Calcitonin Collaboration in Initiation of Osteoporosis Phase III Clinical Trial

Unigene Laboratories, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the oral and nasal delivery of large-market peptide drugs, announced that the initiation of a phase III clinical study conducted by Nordic Bioscience, the development partner with Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG, to treat osteoporosis with oral calcitonin has triggered a $5.5 million milestone payment due from Novartis to Unigene...
 

Monday Mar 12, 2007
Novartis, Nordic Bioscience to Initiate Osteoporosis Phase III Program Using Emisphere's Eligen^R Technology for Oral Salmon Calcitonin

Emisphere Technologies, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the oral delivery of otherwise injectable drugs, announces that Novartis Pharmaceutical AG and its development partner Nordic Bioscience A/S will initiate a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of osteoporosis with an oral form of salmon calcitonin (SMC021), a new drug candidate, using Emisphere's eligen® delivery technology...

Tuesday Feb 27, 2007
GSK Reports Clinical Trial Observation of an Increased Incidence of Fractures in Female Patients Who Received Long-Term Treatment with Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate) Tablets for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) informs healthcare providers of recent safety data concerning rosiglitazone-containing products, ie, Avandia® (rosiglitazone maleate) tablets, AvandametR (rosiglitazone maleate and metformin hydrochloride) tablets, and Avandarylâ„¢ (rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride) tablets...

Thursday Feb 15, 2007
Experts at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Predict Clinically Useful Gene Therapy, Tissue Engineering Will Be Available "in 5 to 10 Years"
Presentations at the AAOS meeting include advances in both gene therapy and tissue-engineered products for cartilage, bone, and tendon repair...

Monday Feb 05, 2007
Ception Therapeutics Raises $63 Million in Series C Financing for Mid-to-Late Stage Anti-Inflammatory Trials
Ception Therapeutics, Inc, an emerging biopharmaceutical company having corporate offices in MALVERN, Pennsylvania, and a research center in ROCKVILLE, Maryland, announced that it has raised $63 million through a Series C private placement of preferred stock.

Thursday Jan 25, 2007
Questions Raised About Study That Links SSRIs to Doubling of Fracture Risk in Elderly
A cohort study of minimal trauma fractures in community-dwelling elderly patients recently concluded  that daily use of SSRI antidepressants doubles fracture risk, but the data may not be strong enough to justify that conclusion...

Tuesday Jan 23, 2007
Older Men Are as Vulnerable to Second Osteoporotic Fractures as Women—and Receive Even Less Treatment
After a first low-trauma fracture, men are as likely as women to have a second fracture and are less likely to receive osteoporosis care...

Monday Jan 22, 2007
Merrion Reports Positive Clinical Results for Osteoporosis Drug MER 103, An Innovative Dosage Form of Alendronate (Fosamax); Absorbed More Effectively and Improved Dosing Ritual vs Fosamax
Merrion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a privately-held international specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of improved oral dosage forms of drugs that have poor bioavailability, announced the successful completion of a phase II clinical pharmacology study of MER 103.

Wednesday Jan 17, 2007
Rheumatologists May Be Doing Better at Treating Osteoporosis in RA Patients
Management of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has improved modestly since 1999 (at least in one large academic practice)...

Wednesday Jan 17, 2007
Genzyme's Cerezyme Improves Bone Mineral Density in Patients With Type 1 Gaucher Disease
Genzyme Corporation (CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts) announced that long-term use of Cerezyme® (imiglucerase for injection) significantly improves bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease in a dose-dependent manner. Cerezyme, an enzyme replacement therapy, is the standard of care for patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease who are at increased risk for developing bone complications, including osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures...

Tuesday Jan 16, 2007
FDA Sets New Rule on Calcium/Vitamin D Osteoporosis Claims for Food, Diet Supplement Labeling
The FDA will permit a new "calcium plus vitamin D" claim in food and dietary supplement labeling for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and will shorten the required label in the hope that more dairy, juice, and other products that qualify will put it on their packaging, thus increasing consumer awareness...

Thursday Jan 11, 2007
New Study Challenges Role of Low Vitamin D in OA Worsening
Low vitamin D levels did not predict worsening of knee OA joint space narrowing or cartilage loss...

Thursday Dec 07, 2006
Osteologix Initiates Phase II Clinical Trial of Strontium Malonate (NB S101) for Osteoporosis
Osteologix Inc, a developer of proprietary therapeutics for the treatment of bone disease and women's health, announced that it has initiated a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II dose-response study in healthy postmenopausal women of its lead investigational drug, strontium malonate (NB S101) for osteoporosis.

Tuesday Dec 05, 2006
Nastech, P&G Amend Agreement for Development of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH1-34) Nasal Spray for Treatment of Osteoporosis
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc (BOTHELL, Washington) announced the amendment of its previous agreement with Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc (P&G) for the clinical development program of the parathyroid hormone (PTH1-34) nasal spray for the treatment of osteoporosis. The amendment includes an additional phase II dose ranging study as well as a change in the timing of payments.

Thursday Nov 30, 2006
Low Risk of Jaw Osteonecrosis Seen With Bisphosphonates for Osteoporosis
Osteonecrosis of the jaw has emerged as an unanticipated problem associated with bisphosphonate treatment in cancer patients, but is seldom a significant risk at the doses used for osteoporosis...

Thursday Nov 16, 2006
Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp Announces Exclusive Worldwide License Agreement for Mesd Reagents for Treatment of Osteoporosis
Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Raptor Pharmaceutical Inc, an early stage biotechnology research and development company which bioengineers novel drugs and drug-targeting platforms derived from the human receptor-associated protein (RAP) and related proteins, signed an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the use of Mesd reagents for therapeutic treatment of osteoporosis with Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Wednesday Nov 15, 2006
Once-Yearly Zoledronic Acid Injection Reduces Fracture Risk, Improves Bone Structure in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis
Once-yearly injections of zoledronic acid 5 mg reduces fracture risk, improves bone mineral density, and improves bone structure in women with osteoporosis... Black DM, Recker RR. Presented at ACR 2006 Meeting.

Wednesday Oct 25, 2006
Fracture Risk Higher in RA Patients
RA patients are at an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures due to a combination of disease activity, low BMI,  and oral glucocorticoid use... van Staa, TP, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:3104–3112.

Tuesday Oct 24, 2006
Xencor Gains $45 Million in Financing to Be Used in Part to Advance Into Phase I Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trials, XProâ„¢ 1595, a Dominant-Negative Inhibitor of TNF-α
Xencor, a company developing protein and antibody therapeutics, announced that it raised $45 million in a private financing led by MedImmune Ventures, Inc, and including new investors Novo Nordisk and HealthCare Ventures, as well as existing investor Zen Investments.

Monday Oct 16, 2006
Potassium Citrate Supplements Increase Bone Mass
Potassium citrate supplements might help postmenopausal women with osteopenia increase their bone mineral density (BMD)... Jehle S, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006;17:3213–3222.

Thursday Oct 12, 2006
CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Tufts Initiate hFGF-1 R&D for Osteoporosis

CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Inc. announced that it has signed a sponsored research agreement with Tufts University School of Medicine to study the potential use of human acidic fibroblast growth factor-1 (hFGF-1), the active component of the Company's Cardio Vascu-Growâ„¢, to treat patients with osteoporosis...

Tuesday Oct 10, 2006
ASBMR Convenes International Task Force on Jaw Osteonecrosis, Issues Interim Guidelines for Osteoporosis Patients
Reacting to multiple reports of jaw osteonecrosis in patients treated with bisphosphonates, the ASBMR has convened an international task force to address this "emerging and urgent clinical problem" and has issued interim clinical recommendations... Shane E, et al. JBMR. 2006;21:1503-1505.

Tuesday Oct 03, 2006
FRISK Score Seen As Alternative to T- or Z-Score for Predicting Fracture Risk
The Fracture Risk (FRISK) Score was developed to predict fracture more accurately than bone mineral density alone, but questions have been raised about its clinical usefulness... Henry MJ, et al. Radiology. 2006:241:190-196.

Monday Sep 18, 2006
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast Investigational Infusion Osteoporosis Treatment Significantly Cuts Risk of Spine and Hip Fractures in Postmenopausal Women
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced that phase III data presented at the 28th Annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), September 15–19, 2006, in Philadelphia, Pa, demonstrated that its investigational, once-yearly bisphosphonate 15-minute infusion treatment, Reclast® (zoledronic acid) 5 mg, was highly effective at reducing the incidence of bone fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis across the most common fracture sites—hip, spine, and nonspine (with the exception of face, fingers, and toes)—with sustained effect over 3 years.

Thursday Aug 31, 2006
Alendronate Better Than Alfacalcidol for Preventing GC-Induced Bone Loss
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial finds that alendronate is significantly better than alfacalcidol at preventing  glucocorticoid-induced bone loss and reducing fracture risk...

Thursday Aug 31, 2006
COX-2 Inhibitors Decrease Bone Density in Men, Improve It in Some Women
COX-2 inhibitors decrease bone density in men but increase it in postmenopausal women not taking estrogen, confirming the role of inflammation in postmenopausal bone loss... Richards JB, et al. Osteoporosis Int. 2006;17:1410-1419.

Thursday Aug 31, 2006
Genizon Grants Exclusive License for Crohn's Disease GeneMap to Genentech
Genizon BioSciences, a gene and drug target discovery company, announced a license and collaboration agreement with Genentech, Inc. under which Genizon granted Genentech an exclusive license to Genizon's GeneMap of disease-associated genes generated from a whole genome association study of Crohn's disease patients from the Quebec Founder Population...

Monday Aug 28, 2006
TNF-α Plays a Key Role in Hormone-Related Osteoporosis
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is the critical cytokine mediating osteoclast formation and osteoporosis in several types of hormone-related osteoporosis, and TNF inhibitors may have a role to play in osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Hase H, Ando T, Eldeiry L, et al. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA. 2006;103:12849-12854.

Tuesday Aug 22, 2006
Comarketers Procter & Gamble and sanofi-aventis Gain FDA Approval of Actonel for Broader Use in Men With Osteoporosis
Procter & Gamble and sanofi-aventis announced that the US FDA approved Actonel^R (risedronate sodium tablets) 35 mg for treatment to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis.

Monday Aug 14, 2006
TissueGene Initiates Phase I Study of TissueGene-C in Patients With Degenerative Joint Disease of the Knee Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty
TissueGene, Inc. announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial of the company's cell-mediated therapy, TissueGene-C (TG-C).

Wednesday Aug 09, 2006
TransPharma Medical Raises $18 Million to Advance Clinical Development of Transdermal hPTH (1-34) for Osteoporosis
TransPharma Medical Ltd, has raised $18 million in a Series C round of financing, led by Argonaut Private Equity and including an additional new investor, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, as well as TransPharma's current investors.

Tuesday Aug 08, 2006
Geron and University of Edinburgh to Collaborate in Conducting Preclinical Studies with Cell Types Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells for Musculoskeletal Applications
Geron Corporation and the University of Edinburgh announced that they have entered into a collaboration to conduct preclinical safety and efficacy studies with three cell types derived from human embryonic stem cells.

Monday Jul 31, 2006
Steroids Cause Osteoporosis by Blocking Osteoclast Role in Bone Remodeling
The bone loss caused by glucocortocoid treatment is due to steroid-induced changes in osteoclasts, which then fail to create the conditions osteoblasts need to accomplish new bone formation....Kim H-J, et al. J Clin Invest. 2006 July 27 [Epub ahead of print].

Friday Jul 28, 2006
Strontium Ranelate Reduces Fracture Risk in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis
Strontium ranelate significantly reduces the risk of veretebral  fractures, increases BMD at all sites and may prevent nonspine fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, a Cochrane Review concludes. ... O'Donnell S, et al. Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews. 2006, Issue 3.

Tuesday Jul 25, 2006
Nuvo's Pennsaid® NDA Resubmission for the Treatment of Osteoporosis Accepted for Review by US FDA
Nuvo Research Inc announced that it has resubmitted its New Drug Application (NDA) for Pennsaid® (1.5% w/w diclofenac sodium solution), a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee to the US FDA.

Tuesday Jun 27, 2006
Wyeth Submits NDA to FDA for Bazedoxifene, an Osteoporosis Drug Candidate; Ligand Pharmaceuticals Earns Milestone Payment
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (MADISON, N.J.) and Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) separately announced that Wyeth has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US FDA for the approval of bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Friday Jun 23, 2006
Tocilizumab Hot New Treatment for Rheumatoid Disorders
The interleukin-6 receptor blocker tocilizumab (Actemra®; Chugai/Roche) emerged at the 2006 EULAR meeting as one of the hottest new prospects for the treatment of rheumatoid disorders... Nishimoto N, et al. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Friday Jun 23, 2006
Kyphoplasty Reduces Osteoporotic Fracture Pain, but Does It Predispose to More Fractures?
Pharmacologic treatments for osteoporosis leave up to 50% of patients suffering long-term pain from fractures—perhaps unnecessarily... Kasperk C. Presented at: EULAR 2006; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Abstract SP0033.

Thursday Jun 22, 2006
EULAR Lupus Guidelines Make the Best of Sparse Data
While EULAR experts agree on the best treatment of SLE and recommend an integrated approach to medical care, the lupus task force also warns of a worrying lack of evidence on the benefits of lifestyle modifications and the impact of primary preventive measures... Boumpas D. 2006 EULAR Meeting.

Tuesday Jun 20, 2006
Nastech Receives $7 Million Milestone Payment From P&G; Will Make and Supply to P&G PTH1-34 Nasal Spray for Osteoporosis
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc, of Bothell, Washington, announced the receipt of a $7 million payment for attaining a development milestone under its development and commercialization agreement with Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc, pertaining to parathyroid hormone (PTH1-34) nasal spray for the treatment of osteoporosis...

Thursday Jun 15, 2006
Intraarticular Steroids May Also Protect Bone
Intraarticular steroids modulate the nuclear factor B ligand/osteoprotegerin system toward a bone-protective effect in inflammatory arthritis... Makrygiannakis D, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54;1463-1472.

Thursday Jun 15, 2006
Alendronate More Cost-Effective Than Teriparatide
Teriparatide could become cost-effective if its price were reduced by 60 percent, if it were given only to women with exceptionally low bone density, or if a 6-month course of teriparatide were as effective in preventing fractures at 2 years of treatment... Liu H, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1209-1217.

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Low-Carb Diets Do Not Cheat Bones
Researchers had suspected that low-carbohydrate diets would increase bone turnover, compromise bone quality, and lead to osteoporosis, but a new study suggests that such diets do no such thing... Carter JD, et al. Osteoporos Int. In press.

Tuesday May 30, 2006
Give Bisphosphonates and Teriparatide Sequentially, Not Together
Alendronate reduces the ability of once-daily teriparatide to stimulate new bone formation in osteoporotic men; the two drugs therefore should not be given concurrently... Finkelstein JS, et al.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 9 May 2006; [Epub ahead of print]

Wednesday May 24, 2006
Bone-Sparing, Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing System Benefits Young, Active Patients
A just-approved bone-sparing hip-resurfacing system will likely relieve pain and improve hip function among younger, active patients who have good bone quality, but caveats remain...

Monday May 22, 2006
Second Year of FACT Trial Confirms Alendronate Advantage Over Risedronate for Preventing Bone Loss
Twenty-four-month data show that alendronate surpasses risedronate in reducing the risk of bone loss in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis... Bonnick S, et al. Clin Endocrin Metab. 24 April 2006; [Epub ahead of print]

Tuesday May 09, 2006
Calcium Supplements Don't Reduce Fracture Risk Unless Patients Take Them
Supplementation with calcium carbonate tablets is ineffective at reducing fracture rates in the ambulatory elderly as a mass public health intervention due to poor long-term compliance, but the supplements are effective in patients who actually take them... Prince RL, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:869-875.

Monday May 08, 2006
ARIAD and Co-Plaintiffs Win NF-kB Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Eli Lilly With Respect to Lilly's Osteoporosis Drug, Evista
ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced that a jury in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts has found in favor of ARIAD and its co-plaintiffs...

Tuesday May 02, 2006
Exercise, Weight Loss Can Reverse Frailty in Obese Elderly
Diet-induced weight loss and exercise training can significantly strengthen and protect obese older adults and should be considered primary therapy in frail obese older patients... Villareal DT, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:860-866.

Monday May 01, 2006
Nastech's Intranasal Parathyroid Hormone (PTH1-34) Demonstrates Similar Pharmacokinetic Profile to Approved Injectable Product, Forteo^R (Teriparatide)
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc, of Bothell, Washington, reported pharmacokinetic data from a phase I study of parathyroid hormone (PTH1-34) nasal spray demonstrating a similar pharmacokinetic profile to the approved subcutaneous product, Forteo®...

Monday Apr 03, 2006
TransPharma Medicalâ„¢ Ltd Gains Promising Clinical Trial Results for Its hPTH (1-34) Transdermal Delivery, Investigative Product for Osteoporosis
TransPharma Medicalâ„¢ Ltd, of Lod, Israel, announced promising results from the first human clinical trials demonstrating transdermal delivery of human parathyroid hormone 1-34 fragment (hPTH 1-34)...

Monday Mar 13, 2006
NPS Receives Approvable Letter From US FDA for Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone for Osteoporosis; FDA Expresses Concern Regarding Hypercalcemia
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Salt Lake City, Utah, announced that it has received an "approvable letter" from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their new drug application for PREOS®...

Thursday Mar 02, 2006
Denosumab Shows Promise in Phase II Study of Bone Mineral Density
Twice yearly injections of denosumab (previously known as AMG 162) significantly increased bone mineral density in the total hip, lumbar spine, distal 1/3 radius, and total body of postmenopausal women compared with placebo... McClung MR, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:821-831.

Thursday Mar 02, 2006
Simple Formula Helps Doctors Determine When Height Loss Signifies Osteoporosis
Historical height loss can help predict the likelihood of vertebral fractures and the need for spine radiographs... Siminoski K, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2006;17:290-296.

Friday Feb 17, 2006
Calcium With Vitamin D Does Not Decrease Risk of Hip Fracture in Postmenopausal Women
Calcium with vitamin D does not decrease risk of hip fracture and only shows a modest benefit in bone density... Jackson RD, et al. New Engl J Med. 2006;354:669-683.

Thursday Jan 26, 2006
Risk of New Fractures Found to Increase After Vertebroplasty
A nonsurgical therapy used to heal vertebral compression fractures, vertebroplasty may increase the risk of new fractures in adjacent vertebrae... Trout AT, et al. Am J Neuroradiol. 2006;27:217-223.

Friday Jan 20, 2006
Patients with Chronic Skin Disease Who Require Long-Term Corticosteroids Not Receiving Bisphosphonates
Most patients who receive prolonged oral corticosteroids for chronic skin diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris and cutaneous lupus erythematosus are not receiving bisphosphonates... Liu RH, et al. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:37-41.

Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
P&G and Sanofi-Aventis File Lawsuit Against Roche and GSK Alleging False and Misleading Advertising for Osteoporosis Drug Boniva®
Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi-Aventis US, LLC, co-marketers of Actonel® (risedronate sodium) tablets, announced that they have filed...

Wednesday Jan 11, 2006
Manhattan's PTH 1-34, a Topical Treatment for Psoriasis, Enters Phase IIa Trials
Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of New York City, announced the initiation of a phase IIa clinical study of PTH 1-34, a parathyroid hormone-related peptide analog, for the topical treatment...

Wednesday Jan 11, 2006
Boniva® Injection Approved for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Roche and GlaxoSmithKline announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Boniva® (ibandronate sodium) Injection...

Tuesday Jan 10, 2006
Federal Court Rules Lilly Breached Agreement with Emisphere Regarding Oral Formulation of Forteo® for Osteoporosis; Lilly turns to Alkermes for Development of Inhaled Version
Emisphere Technologies, Inc, of Tarrytown, NY, announced that a Federal District Court judge ruled that Eli Lilly and Company had violated an agreement with Emisphere regarding the use of Emisphere's Eligen technology for the development of an oral formulation of Forteo® ...

Tuesday Dec 20, 2005
Radius Acquires Ipsen's Parathyroid Hormone–Related Protein Analog for Osteoporosis
Radius (Cambridge, Mass) has acquired from Ipsen the exclusive worldwide rights (excluding Japan) to the drug BA058...

Monday Dec 19, 2005
Oral Contraceptives Safe in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Taken together, two new prospective studies demonstrate that oral contraceptives (OCs) are safe in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and may represent a paradigm shift in the thinking and clinical practice of rheumatologists who historically have been reluctant to prescribe OCs and other hormones for these patients…Petri M, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2450-2461; Sánchez-Guerrero J, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2539-2549.

Wednesday Dec 14, 2005
Emisphere's Oral Drug Delivery Technology (Eligen®) Successful With Oral Salmon Calcitonin for Osteoarthritis
Emisphere Technologies, Inc, of Tarrytown, New York, has announced that an independent pilot study of daily salmon calcitonin therapy...

Monday Dec 05, 2005
Roche Receives 510(k) Clearance to Market Osteocalcin Test for Osteoporosis
Roche Diagnostics of Indianapolis, Indiana, announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration...

Friday Dec 02, 2005
New Study Indicates Fear of Addiction Among Other Surprising Reasons for Poor Adherence to Bisphosphonate Therapy
While lack of adherence to bisphosphonates is well-known, recent research has shed new light on possible causes, including difficulties in following prescribing instructions, frequency of dosing schedules, potential drug-drug interactions, and fear of addiction…  Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 625.

Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
Osteoporosis Drug Risedronate May Have Disease-Modifying Effects in Osteoarthritis
High doses of risedronate (Actonel®) may protect against subchondral bone loss in knee osteoarthritis patients with progressive joint space narrowing... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
Amgen's Denosumab Effective in Increasing Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Patients
Amgen has announced that twice-yearly subcutaneous injections of 60 mg denosumab increased bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine by 7.4% and of the total hip by 5.1% compared with 6.2% and 3.4%, respectively, for alendronate (Fosamax®) 70 mg/week over a 24-month period.

Tuesday Nov 15, 2005
Thalidomide Shows Promise in Refractory Systemic Onset Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Thalidomide improves systemic clinical features, lab parameters, and joint symptoms in most patients with refractory systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (So-JIA), but caution is urged due to possible neurologic side effects... Badot V, et al. Presented at: 69^th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Wednesday Oct 12, 2005
Nastech Reports Positive Phase I Data for Intranasal PTH 1-34 for Osteoporosis
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc, of Bothell, Washington, a leader in molecular biology-based drug delivery technologies, announced...

Thursday Oct 06, 2005
New Study Results Suggest That Two Courses of Parathyroid Hormone May Reduce Fracture Risk in Patients with Severe Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis patients who remain at high risk for fracture despite a course of parathyroid hormone (PTH) therapy may benefit from a second discrete course of PTH . . . Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23–27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Presentation 1079.

Wednesday Oct 05, 2005
New Bone Biopsy Data Support Safety of Dual-Acting Strontium Ranelate for Osteoporosis 
A potentially dual-acting new osteoporosis medication, strontium ranelate, may safely decrease bone resorption while increasing bone formation, rebalancing bone turnover toward formation . . . Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23–27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Abstract 1084.

Monday Oct 03, 2005
Osteologix's Low-Dose Strontium-Based Compound Shows Bioequivalence to Strontium Ranelate in Phase I Trial
Osteologix, Inc, headquartered in San Francisco, California, announced that its phase I clinical trial of NBS-101...

Friday Sep 30, 2005
Childhood Fractures May Be a Risk Factor for Osteoporosis
A new study suggests that a history of fracture in childhood and adolescence may be a marker for genetically determined low peak bone mass and osteoporosis later in life... Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Abstract 1136.

Thursday Sep 29, 2005
Study Suggests Statins May Lower Fracture Risk in Men
A study of almost 30,000 elderly men suggests that statins, in addition to their lipid-lowering benefit, may also reduce fracture risk...Scranton RE, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:2007-2012.

Thursday Sep 29, 2005
Long-Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Remains an Unresolved Issue
Despite concerns about long-term bisphosphonate therapy resulting in the continued suppression of bone turnover and inhibition of normal repair and replacement of damaged bone, recent clinical trials suggest that treatment for up to 10 years is not harmful ... Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-25, 2005; Nashville, Tenn.

Wednesday Sep 28, 2005
Roche and GSK Tout Efficacy, Safety, and Convenience of Once-Monthly Boniva^R Osteoporosis Therapy at ASBMR Annual Meeting
Roche Pharmaceuticals and GlaxoSmithKline presented 4 posters (2 studies) at the 27^th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research...

Wednesday Sep 28, 2005
The XtremeCT May Be More Sensitive than DEXA in Predicting Fracture Risks
A new high-resolution imaging device, the XtremeCT, which measures both bone density and bone architecture, may have significant advantages over the current gold standard, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)...Boutroy S, et al. Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Abstract SA360.

Tuesday Sep 27, 2005
Novel Method of Upfront Loading of Bisphosphonates Found to Improve Spinal Bone Mineral Density and Reduce Fractures
Upfront loading of oral or intravenous bisphosphonates followed by maintenance dosing may enhance the ability of these agents to reduce fracture risk compared with currently used dosing regimens... Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-27, 2005; Nashville, Tennessee. Abstract M369.

Tuesday Sep 27, 2005
Competitive Technologies Licenses Bone Biomaterial to Soteira for Spinal Applications
Competitive Technologies, Inc (CTT), a technology transfer and licensing provider, has granted Soteira, Inc, of Dedham, Massachusetts...

Tuesday Sep 27, 2005
Researchers Report Promising Findings on Biomarkers for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and OA
New research has uncovered biomarkers that serve as both diagnostic "fingerprints" for the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis and predictors for osteoarthritis (OA) progression... Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-27, 2005; Nashville, Tennessee.

Sunday Sep 25, 2005
Osteoporosis Fractures, Costs Projected to Rise by 50% in 20 Years
A new survey suggests that changing demographics will fuel a 50% increase in the incidence of osteoporotic fractures and associated healthcare costs over the next 20 years... Presented at: 27^th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-25, 2005; Nashville, Tennessee.

Sunday Sep 25, 2005
C-Reactive Protein May Help Predict Fracture Risk
A new study provides evidence that circulating levels of C-reactive protein may independently predict fracture risk in postmenopausal women... Presented at: 27^th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-25, 2005; Nashville, Tennessee.

Friday Sep 23, 2005
FDA Issues "Non-Approvable Letter" for Pfizer's Injectable COX-2 Drug
Just 1 week after receiving a nonapprovable letter for their new osteoporosis drug lasofoxifene (Oporia), Pfizer Inc announced Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a nonapprovable letter for parecoxib sodium, an injectable COX-2 inhibitor used to treat acute pain in the postsurgical setting... Pfizer receives FDA non-approvable letter on parecoxib [press release]. PR Newswire; September 20, 2005.

Wednesday Sep 21, 2005
Low-Dose Safer Than High-Dose Steroids in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A new literature review suggests that the toxicity associated with glucocorticoids is largely a result of higher doses, a finding that may serve to restore greater use of long-term, low-dose glucorticoid therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)... Da Silva JAP, et al. Ann Rheum Dis [serial online]. August 26, 2005.

Tuesday Sep 20, 2005
Link Between Genetic Factors and Osteoporotic Fractures in the Elderly
The predisposition for osteoporotic fractures is stronger than has been previously estimated, especially for early occurring fractures. A search for genes and gene-environmental interactions that affect early osteoporotic fracture risk is likely to be beneficial, but fracture-prevention should be focused on lifestyle habits...Michaëlsson K, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1825-1830.

Friday Sep 16, 2005
Pfizer's SERM Lasofoxifene Not Approvable by US FDA
In a brief announcement, Pfizer Inc disclosed that it has received a nonapprovable letter...

Tuesday Sep 13, 2005
Two New Treatments Show Promise in Paget's Disease
Zoledronic acid and osteoprotegerin found to be promising new therapies for the management of Paget's disease... Reid IR, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:898-908; Cundy MD, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:918-923.

Sunday Aug 21, 2005
Unigene's Calcitonin-Salmon Nasal Spray Approved for Osteoporosis in US
Unigene Laboratories, Inc, and Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc, announced FDA approval of their nasal calcitonin product...

Monday Aug 15, 2005
Actonel with Calcium Approved by US FDA for the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The Alliance for Better Health, formed by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and Aventis Pharmaceuticals (now a member of the Sanofi-Aventis Group), has announced...

Monday Aug 08, 2005
Velcura Receives $1.3 Million SBIR Grant for New Osteoporosis Drugs
Velcura Therapeutics®, Inc, a biotechnology company focused on developing drugs for bone diseases, received a $1.3 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Aging, of the National Institutes of Health, to use proteomics-based drug discovery in human osteoblasts to identify bone disease biomarkers and targets, and develop new drugs that stimulate bone formation.

Thursday Aug 04, 2005
Scientists Develop New Technique to Grow Bone In Vivo
In a development that one day may revolutionize spinal and knee-replacement surgery and the treatment of osteoporosis, researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, have demonstrated for the first time that healthy new bone can be grown in one part of the body to repair bony defects at another location... Stevens MM, et al. In vivo engineering of organs: The bone bioreactor. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2005; scheduled to appear online before print. Available at: http://www.pnas.org/.

Wednesday Aug 03, 2005
PREOSR parathyroid hormone NDA accepted for review by FDA
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Salt Lake City, Utah, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has accepted for review the company's new drug application (NDA) for PREOSR, a recombinant parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-84) for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Tuesday Jul 26, 2005
Osteologix's Strontium Formulation in Phase 1 Development for Osteoporosis
Osteologix, Inc., announced that patient enrollment has been completed in its Phase I clinical trial of NBS-101, an improved formulation of strontium for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Thursday Jul 21, 2005
Nastech's Intranasal PTH1-34 Peptide in Phase I for Osteoporosis
Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc. of Bothell, Washington, announced the start of a second clinical study to determine the pharmacokinetics and safety of its investigational intranasal human parathyroid hormone (PTH1-34) drug for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Structural Changes in Femoral Neck Increase Risk of Hip Fracture
Walking may not be enough to strengthen the hip; instead, it may be necessary to develop exercises that target the superolateral cortex of the femoral neck, which is often associated with fractures from sideways falls... Mayhew PM, et al. Lancet. 2005;366:129-135.

Monday Jun 27, 2005
Short-Term Use of High Dose Steroids Does Not Increase Fracture Risk
With at least a one-year moratorium on steroid use, short-term, >e;15 mg/day dose of oral glucocorticoids does not increase the risk for osteoporosis or fracture, according the results of a new study... Presented at: 2nd Joint Meeting of the ECTS and the IBMS; June 25-29, 2005; Geneva, Switzerland

Monday Jun 20, 2005
Low-Dose Steroids Prevent Bone Loss in RA
Despite its established potential to cause bone loss, the anti-inflammatory effects of prednisolone slow the loss of hand bone density in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis...Haugeberg G, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1293-1297.

Thursday Jun 09, 2005
Abatacept Inhibits Structural Damage in RA Patients with Inadequate Response to Methotrexate
New studies help define and clarify potential niche for costimulation blockade in autoimmunity...Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Monday May 16, 2005
Higher Doses of Vitamin D May Reduce Risk of Fractures in the Elderly
In contrast to several recently published studies showing that regular supplements of calcium and vitamin D may not effectively prevent fractures, a newly published meta-analysis found that large doses of vitamin D-taken with or without calcium-reduce the risk of nonvertebral fractures in the elderly...Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al. JAMA. 2005;293:2257-2264

Tuesday May 03, 2005
African-American Women Have Lower Risk of Fractures than Caucasians Across All Levels of Bone Mineral Density
New data suggests the need for race specific normative databases to define osteoporosis...Cauley JA, et al. JAMA 2005;293:2102-2108.

Thursday Apr 14, 2005
Investigational New Drug Application Filed for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator
TAP Pharmaceutical Products submitted an investigational new drug application to the US Food & Drug Administration to evaluate LGD2941, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), as a potential new therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis and frailty, triggering a $1.5 million milestone payment to Ligand Pharmaceuticals, the drug's developer.

Monday Apr 11, 2005
FDA Approves Alendronate Sodium/Cholecalciferol (Fosamax Plus DR) for Osteoporosis; the Only Bisphosphonate With a Weekly Dose of Vitamin D
Merck & Co, Inc, received marketing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for its once-weekly tablet containing alendronate sodium (FosamaxR) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Wednesday Mar 30, 2005
FDA Approves Monthly Ibandronate for Treatment and Prevention of Osteoporosis
The new formulation simplifies osteoporosis drug therapy and addresses problems of adherence among patients using bisphosphonates

Friday Mar 18, 2005
Servier Receives Award for Osteoporosis Drug Strontium Ranelate (ProtelosR)
Servier, the French pharmaceutical company, has received Frost & Sullivan's 2004 Osteoporosis Therapeutics Industry Innovation & Advancement of the Year Award for the development of Protelos (strontium ranelate), a dual-action osteoporosis drug that promotes bone formation by stimulating osteoblasts, and reduces bone resorption by decreasing the osteoclast population.

Friday Mar 18, 2005
Study Suggests Celiac Disease May Be More Prevalent Among Patients with Osteoporosis
New results confirm the value of treating osteoporotic patients with the disease and fuel the debate over the practicality of widespread screening... Stenson WF, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:393-399.

Wednesday Mar 02, 2005
B-vitamins Help Prevent Hip Fracture In Stroke Patients
Folate and vitamin B12 lower the risk of hip fracture in elderly patients following stroke, possibly due to a reduction in plasma homocysteine levels...Sato Y, et al. JAMA. 2005;293:1082-1088

Thursday Jan 20, 2005
New Bone Imaging Technology May Give DEXA a Run for Its Money on Earth -- and in Space
New ultrasound bone imaging device, which measures bone strength and rate of bone loss as well as bone density, could become the standard for osteoporosis assessment... National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Houston, Texas.

Wednesday Dec 15, 2004
Novel Class of Bone Resorption Inhibitors Is Identified
Newly identified biphenyl derivatives, which are shown to inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro and prevent ovariectomy-induced bone loss in vivo, may have potential therapeutic advantages over bisphosphonates in the treatment of diseases such as osteoporosis, Paget's disease, and cancer-associated bone disorders....van Hof RJ, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2004;19:1651-1660.

Wednesday Nov 24, 2004
Gender Bias May Exist in the Recognition and Treatment of Osteoporosis in Men
Although men have higher vertebral fracture rates than women, they may not get screening and treatment for osteoporosis as often or as early... Sawka AM, et al. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1993-1995.

Monday Nov 15, 2004
EPIC Study: Alendronate's Benefits for Osteoporosis Prevention Continue Up to 6 Years
Therapy with the bisphosphonate is effective long-term in preserving bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, and should serve as a promising strategy for the prevention of osteoporosis in the post-HRT era& McClung MR, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004;89:4879-4885.

Wednesday Oct 13, 2004
Significant Advantages Favor Alendronate for Bone Protection

A new trial comparing 2 bisphosphonate formulations finds greater benefits with alendronate vs risedronate and no significant differences between the 2 in reported adverse events, including those associated with upper GI tolerability …Rosen C, et al. J Bone Miner Metab. 2004;19(suppl 1):S94. Abstract F412.

Tuesday Oct 12, 2004
Long-Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Results in Continued Benefits and May Offer Potential for Drug Holiday
Risedronate therapy continued over a 7-year treatment interval might be beneficial and, for some patients, 1 year off therapy may be a reasonable option... Sorensen OH, Crawford GM, Mulder H, et al. Bone . 2003;32:120-126.

Tuesday Oct 12, 2004
Few Patients Undergo Screening or Receive Treatment for Glucocorticoid-induced Osteoporosis

Despite evidence of rapid bone loss associated with chronic oral steroid use, fewer than 25% of men and 50% of women undergo screening or receive treatment for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis... Curtis JR, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2004;19(suppl 1):S30. Abstract 1114.

Monday Oct 11, 2004
Vitamin D Deficiency May Diminish Effectiveness of Osteoporosis Therapy

Recently released clinical trials data underscore the impact of vitamin D deficiency in at-risk populations, and the importance of the vitamin in strengthening the effects of osteoporosis therapy... Holick MF, et al. J Bone Miner Metab. 2004;19 (suppl 1):S342. Abstract SU583.

Thursday Oct 07, 2004
Emerging Role of Bone Turnover Markers in Clinical Management of Osteoporotic Patients

According to a leading authority at the annual meeting of The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, markers of bone turnover can be a potentially valuable component of the overall management strategy for osteoporosis... (Johnell O, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2002;13:523-526; Eastell R, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2003;18:1051-1056.)

Tuesday Oct 05, 2004
New Focus on Osteoporosis Risk in Men

Until recently, osteoporosis, a known health risk in postmenopausal women, has attracted scant attention as a health risk for men. Although men and women alike benefit from treatment for osteoporosis, men receive treatment far less frequently, even after fractures.

Thursday Sep 30, 2004
Pulsed IV Methylprednisolone Produces Significant Bone Loss, Short-Term Study Shows

Conventional wisdom holds that pulsed IV corticosteroids reduce the risk of bone loss. New findings show that even this treatment schedule is associated with significant reductions in bone mineral density...Haugeberg G et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004;63:940-944.

Wednesday Jul 14, 2004
Use of Anti-epileptic Drugs Associated with Increased Bone Loss in Older Women
A recent study of over 9000 women suggests that those taking anti-epileptic drugs may have an increased risk of osteoporosis.