Recent Articles of Interest

Amgen NASDAQ: AMGN pharmaceutical powerhouse just announced positive performance results for Pivotal Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Trial for denosumab.

Study met primary endpoint of Reducing new vertebral fractures and secondary endpoints of decreasing time to first non-vertebral and hip fractures; adverse events similar to placebo. The immediate past president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation was excited." I am particularly excited about these findings because they indicate that denosumab may offer an important new option for patients."

Denosumab is the first fully human monoclonal antibody in late stage clinical development that particularly targets RANK Ligand, an essential regulator of osteoclasts (these are the cells that break the bone down). Denosumab is being investigated for its ability to inhibit all stages of osteoclast activity through a targeted mechanism. Denosumab is being studied for a variety of bone loss illnesses such as, rheumatoid arthritis, postmenopausal osteoporosis, and cancer treatment-induced bone loss in breast cancer and prostate cancer patients| in prostate cancer and breast cancer patients as well as for its potential to defer bone metastases and stop and treat bone destruction for many stages of cancer.

Osteoporosis is often referred to as the "silent epidemic", osteoporosis is a world wide problem illness, which is growing in dominance as the world population both ages and increases. WHO, The World Health Organization has recently identified osteoporosis as a significant health issue along with other major non-communicable diseases. We are dependent on the pharmaceutical industry to help combat this horrendous disease.

Amgen states that the financial burden of osteoporosis is referred to as the "silent epidemi' to that of other major chronic diseases; for example, in the U.S. the costs associated with osteoporosis-related fractures are equivalent to those of cardiovascular disease and asthma (i)(ii)(iii). It has been reported that osteoporosis results in more hospital bed-days than stroke, myocardial infarction or breast cancer (iv).

Pharmacist-clinical have been researching prescriptions drugs to help patient that have serious side effects. These products are created almost at the same time as the medications that aid in the treatment of the primary illness. The fact that data is available to help predict the possible side effects and interactions drugs have with one another is outstanding.

There are several drugs that both, prevent and treat osteoporosis. Some medicines increase bone thickness or slow the rate of bone loss. Even small amounts of new bone growth may diminish the risk of breaking bones. It is important that you take calcium and vitamin D, eat well and exercise when you take osteoporosis prescriptions.