Parathyroid Hormone Increases Bone Formation

A new multicenter study shows that parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment for osteoporosis can stimulate bone formation, increase bone mass dramatically, and reduce the risk of vertebral fractures 65-69%, more than any currently available treatment. The study was published in the May 10, 2001, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Current medicines approved for osteoporosis are classified as anti-resorptive drugs because they slow bone resorption, the first step in the remodeling process. Resorption increases with menopause and advancing age and is associated with bone loss. Unlike anti-resorptive drugs, PTH stimulates bone formation. PTH treatment appears to be most effective when given for one to two years, although it may be necessary to follow the therapy with an anti-resorptive drug to maintain the benefits.

"This research is very exciting for the future treatment of osteoporosis,” says Dr. C. Conrad Johnston, Jr., president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. "If PTH receives approval for osteoporosis from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it would be the first treatment option to build substantial amounts of bone by increasing bone formation. The Foundation is very encouraged by the evidence of fracture reduction. Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures a year in the U.S. alone.”