Amgen Pharmaceutical Company Planning Developing New Osteoporosis Drug
Amgen NASDAQ: AMGN pharmaceutical company just announced outstanding performance results for denosumab Pivotal Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Trial.
Study met primary endpoint of Diminishing new vertebral fractures and secondary endpoints of decreasing time to first non-vertebral and hip fractures; adverse events similar to placebo. The past president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation was excited.” I am particularly excited about these findings because they indicate that denosumab may offer an important new option for patients.”
Denosumab is the first fully human monoclonal antibody in late stage clinical development that specifically targets RANK Ligand, an important regulator of osteoclasts (these are the cells that break the bone down). Denosumab is being considered for its ability to inhibit every stage of osteoclast activity through a targeted mechanism. Denosumab is being researched for a variety of bone loss illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis, postmenopausal osteoporosis, and cancer treatment-induced bone loss in breast cancer and prostate cancer patients| in prostate cancer and breast cancer patients as well as for its potential to delay bone metastases and inhibit and treat bone destruction for many stages of cancer.
Often referred to as the “silent epidemic”, osteoporosis is a world wide problem illness, which is increasing in significance as the population of the world both increases and ages. WHO, The World Health Organization has just identified osteoporosis as a priority health issue along with other major non-communicable diseases. We are dependent on the pharmaceutical industry to help combat this horrendous disease.
According to Amgen the financial burden of osteoporosis is comparable to as the “silent epidemi’ to that of other major chronic diseases; for example, in the U.S. the costs associated with osteoporosis-related fractures are equivalent to those of cardiovascular disease and asthma (i)(ii)(iii). It has been reported that osteoporosis results in more hospital bed-days than stroke, myocardial infarction or breast cancer (iv).
Clinical pharmacist have been developing prescriptions drugs to help patient that have serious side effects. These products are created almost at the same time as the medications that aid in the treatment of the primary illness. The fact that research is available to help predict the possible side effects and interactions drugs have with each other is awesome.
These medicines are used to both prevent and treat osteoporosis. Some medicines slow the rate of bone loss or increase bone thickness. Even small amounts of new bone growth can reduce the danger of breaking bones. It is important that you take vitamin D and calcium, exercise and eat well when you take osteoporosis prescriptions.
- CF Thompson
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