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Drug Treatment of Osteoporosis Research
Over the past 15 years, drug development of novel agents to treat osteoporosis has grown substantially. Researchers in the Musculoskeletal Research group work with the pharmaceutical industry to test new agents in phase II, III and IV randomized controlled trials. Recruitment, screening, enrollment and follow up are done at the Hebew Rehabilitation Center, which is equipped with a state-of-the-art dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner. Also the pharmaceutical industry frequently contracts with researchers in the Musculoskeletal Research group to provide insights into various aspects of osteoporosis based on their research material.
- Amgen - Investigators participated in a head to head trial of a new drug to treat osteoporosis called Denosumab compared to Alendronate. Results showed that Denosumab improved bone density and biochemical markers of turnover to a greater extent than Alendronate. (link to paper in JBMR - Brown, JP, Prince RL, Deal C, Recker RR, Kiel DP, de Gregorio LH, Hadji P, Hofbauer LC, Álvaro-Gracia JM, Wang H, Austin M, Wagman RB, Newmark R, Libanati C, San Martin J, Bone HG. Comparison of the Effect of Denosumab and Alendronate on Bone Mineral Density and Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover in Postmenopausal Women With Low Bone Mass: A Randomized, Blinded, Phase 3 Trial. J Bone Miner Res 2008 (In Press)) Also, using data from the Framingham Study, investigators from the Musculoskeletal Research group are estimating the incidence of cardiovascular events among Framingham Cohort members according to their degree of progression in vascular calcification over time.
- Merck - Investigators from the Musculoskeletal Research group are recruiting elderly women to participate in a four year study of a cathepsin K inhibitor called Odanacatib to prevent fractures. This is part of a world-wide study sponsored by Merck Research Laboratories.
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