Biotech Strategy Blog

Commentary on Science, Innovation & New Products

Posts tagged ‘Osteoporosis’

Targeting Sclerostin in Osteoporosis

By on March 10, 2011

Continuing my previous post about emerging drugs for osteoporosis, one of the new classes in development are those that target sclerostin.

Sclerostin is a protein produced by osteocytes within bone that inhibits bone formation. It is thought to pass through the surface of bone where it acts on osteoblasts (cells responsible for bone formation).  There it binds to low-density lipoprotein receptors and inhibits the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling involved in bone mass regulation.

There is some uncertainty in the scientific literature as to the precise method by which sclerostin acts on bone. However, the Wnt/beta-catenin osteocytic signaling does play a role in bone homeostasis.

This is a preview of Targeting Sclerostin in Osteoporosis. Read the full post

Leave a comment

Merck’s cathepsin-K inhibitor odanacatib in osteoporosis

By on February 11, 2011

Following on from my recent blog post on emerging treatments in osteoporosis, one of new approaches in development is the inhibition of cathepsin-K.

Chemical Structure of odanacatib MK 0822. Image Copyright Merck 300x148 Mercks cathepsin K inhibitor odanacatib in osteoporosis

Cathepsin-K inhibition is a novel approach to osteoporosis treatment and Merck’s odanacatib is leading the way in this new class of drugs. It is currently in phase III development, with 16,716 subjects enrolled (NCT00529373).

Cathepsins are lysosomal proteases. Cathepsin K (Cat-K) is a cysteine protease that plays an important role in the function of osteoclasts (the cells responsible for bone destruction). Cat-K acts to degrade bone collagen. By inhibiting it, the removal of bone matrix proteins by osteoclasts is reduced.

This is a preview of Merck’s cathepsin-K inhibitor odanacatib in osteoporosis. Read the full post

Leave a comment

Emerging drugs in development for Osteoporosis

By on February 8, 2011

The February 2011 issue of Nature Reviews Drug Discovery has an interesting review by Kawai, Mödder and colleagues on “Emerging therapeutic opportunities for skeletal restoration.”

Some of the new products they discuss include:

  1. Parathyroid Hormone-Related protein (PTHRP)
  2. Cathepsin K Inhibitors: odanacatib
  3. Wnt-ß-catenin pathway targets: sclerostin, DKK1 antagonists, lithium.

The market opportunity for osteoporosis remains significant, affecting 44 million people in the United States over the age of 50, resulting in healthcare costs in excess of $15 billion a year; numbers that are set to increase with the ageing population of baby boomers.  The low bone mineral density (BMD) associated with osteoporosis results in increased risk of hip fracture, from which the mortality rate is 20-30% in the first year.

This is a preview of Emerging drugs in development for Osteoporosis. Read the full post

1 Comment

What does Amgen’s latest denosumab press release mean ?

By on February 22, 2010

I saw the following press release from Amgen on friday evening:

Amgen Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has evaluated the content of the Company's Complete Response submission for Prolia(TM) (denosumab) in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and classified it as a Class 2 resubmission. With the Class 2 designation, the FDA set a corresponding Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of July 25, 2010.

This is a preview of What does Amgen’s latest denosumab press release mean ?. Read the full post

Leave a comment