Could Bone-Loss Drug Do Double-Duty, Helping Arthritic Joints?
Could Bone-Loss Drug Do Double-Duty, Helping Arthritic Joints?
Every once in a while, scientists set out to study one thing and discover another entirely.
Consider the case of this seizure-medicine turned hot-flash therapy – or more recently, URMC scientists’ discovery that an already-FDA-approved osteoporosis medication (human parathyroid hormone, sold under the brand name Forteo) can potentially be repurposed as a cartilage-rebuilding agent for millions of adults grappling with wear-and-tear arthritis.
Admittedly, there’s a long road to human clinical trials and hypothetical approval, but if the drug were approved for this new application, it would be the first disease-modifying (not just symptom-masking) therapy for osteoarthritis. And that could mean a whole new lease on life for the 67 million American adults (a staggering 25 percent of the U.S. adult population!) projected to have the painful, degenerative joint condition by 2030.
To hear more about this exciting research, we’ve asked Dr. Randy Rosier to talk a bit about the coincidental discovery process – and recent laboratory trials that have given him hope for the drug’s new potential.
*Please note that several URMC researchers, including Rosier, have a U.S. Provisional Patent application related to this work.
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URMC Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation is the largest, most comprehensive orthopaedic group in the region. Boasting over 40 board-certified or board-qualified doctors, we cover every sub-specialty of orthopaedics, and see more than 170,000 patients each year. To request an appointment, click here.
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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center
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