Lilly's Forteo lowers fracture risk

Meantime, a Phase III clinical study of Eli Lilly's investigational boneformation drug Forteo (teriparatide; parathyroid hormone), administered by injection, has been shown to reduce moderate or severe spinal fractures by up to 90%, and to lower overall non-spinal fractures by up to 54%, compared with placebo, in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis-related fractures. Forteo treatment also increased bone mineral density up to 13% in the spine after a little as three months.

Current osteoporosis treatments slow/stop bone loss by reducing the number and/or activity of osteoclasts, whereas Lilly's drug increases the number and/or activity of osteoblasts which promote bone growth. Forteo, which is currently under FDA review as a treatment for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, will become the first bone formation agent available in the USA, if approved.