Romosozumab, A new bone-forming agent currently under study by Amgen Inc. and Belgium’s UCB, has shown promise in research into osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD).
Romosozumab was found to lead to increases in lumbar spine and total hip BMD by inhibiting the protein sclerostin and thereby increasing bone formation and decreasing bone breakdown.
“Romosozumab, an anti-sclerostin antibody being developed as a treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, leads to substantial and continued BMD increases over two years through an increase in bone formation and a simultaneous reduction in bone resorption,” said Michael McClung, director of the Oregon Osteoporosis Center. “The effects of romosozumab on bone mineral density and markers of bone remodelling disappear within one year of stopping therapy. The effects on BMD are further augmented by follow-on therapy with a potent anti-remodelling drug like denosumab. Also, romosozumab therapy is well-tolerated over a two year period.”
“We are very excited about the potential of romosozumab to significantly build bone for people at high risk for fracture, in particular those who have already fractured,” said Sean Harper, executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. “We look forward to continued investigation of romosozumab in our extensive global Phase 3 program, which includes two large fracture trials comparing the treatment to either placebo or active comparators in more than 10,000 patients with osteoporosis.”
Source: Orthopedics This Week
