New alternative to injection could help osteoporosis patients better stick to medication regimen
Patients who buy Fosamax may experience relief from the pain and discomfort of osteoporosis.
Patients who buy Fosamax may experience relief from the pain and discomfort of osteoporosis. These individuals may soon have another treatment option, as pharmaceutical company Radius Health and 3M Drug Delivery Systems recently announced that they will collaborate on the development of a drug called BA058.
Researchers are working on a way to deliver this drug transdermally through the use of microneedle technology. This could be an easier, more convenient alternative to the traditional method of subcutaneous injection.
"Poor adherence to prescribed osteoporosis therapy is a common and serious problem. Patients who drop their treatment unknowingly place themselves at high risk of fracture, which exacts an enormous toll in terms of human and economic cost," said C. Richard Lyttle, president and CEO of Radius Health.
He added that providing a more convenient treatment that is an alternative to injection could improve compliance.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation reports that the bone disease affects an estimated 75 million people in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Nearly 75 percent of hip, spine and distal fractures as a result of the condition occur among individuals over the age of 65.
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