Future Therapies

Summary

• The continuing increase in the incidence of osteoporotic fractures provides a continuing stimulus to research into the treatment of this problem. As a result, there is a steady stream of novel therapies reaching the clinic, the most imminent arrivals being PTH and intermittent bisphosphonates.

• New SERMs are in clinical trials, selective modulators of other steroid receptors are being developed, and new agents that interfere with osteoclast function and a variety of anabolic peptides are being studied.

• Statins show dramatic but inconsistent effects on bone in laboratory studies.

• Strontium ranelate has produced benefits in clinical trials showing vertebral fracture reduction of 40–50%.

Currently, the therapy of osteoporosis is an intense focus of research by both commercial and non-commercial agencies. Some new therapies are likely to be introduced into clinical practice within the next 12 months, others are in phase I–III clinical trials, and still others have, to date, been evaluated only in the laboratory.