On Monday,14 of July, 2008 the company Amgen announced that an experimental drug Denosumab could reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fracture in men who were treated with prostate cancer medicines that is associated with bone loss.
Denosumab is a bio engineered antibody that targets a protein involved in destroying of the bone cells known as osteoclasts.
A study was done for 3 years involving more than 1,400 men having non-metastatic prostate cancer who were undergoing androgen deprivation therapy. The result shows that Denosumab produces greater bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and non-vertebral sites than a placebo.
“Mens receiving Denosumab also experienced less than half the incidence of new vertebral fractures than those receiving the placebo”, Amgen said.
“We’re excited by the evidence of clinical activity — which is reduction of vertebral fractures,” said Roger Dansey, director of Amgen’s Denosumab oncology program. He said the study also confirmed previous trial results showing that Denosumab increases bone mineral density.
In an analysis published on Monday, Sanford Bernstein analyst Geoffrey Porges estimated that the Denosumab Phase III trial in women with post-menopausal osteoporosis is likely to show that the drug reduces the risk of fracture by 45 percent to 55 percent compared with placebo.
This has increased the hope of the patients suffering from Osteoporosis.
Source: uk.reuters.com
Filed under Cancer, Health, Osteoporosis, Prostrate
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