Skin patch could replace osteoporosis injections
Scientists are hopeful that a new drug delivery system could eliminate the need for patients with severe osteoporosis to take daily injections.
At present, many patients with severe osteoporosis receive parathyroid hormone (PTH) therapy to improve the body's calcium balance.
Research has shown that daily injections of PTH can help to slow down bone loss and increase bone mass.
Now, a new drug delivery system that allows PTH to be administered via a skin patch has been tested in a three month-long phase IIA clinical trial.
Pharmaceutical company TransPharma Medical tested the ViaDerm drug delivery system in postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis and achieved promising results.
Chief executive officer Dr Daphna Heffetz revealed: "We are very pleased with the results of this trial, which demonstrate remarkable progress in the use of the ViaDerm system in clinical trials.
"We are looking forward to the phase 2B trial and hope that, in the future, we will be able to improve therapy for people suffering from osteoporosis by offering an alternative to daily injection of PTH."
The delivery system consists of a handheld electronic device which creates microscopic channels through the outer layer of the skin.
The osteoporosis drug can then be administered by placing a patch on the skin and allowing the treatment to pass through the skin and into the bloodstream.
A spokeswoman for the Arthritis Research Campaign welcomed the early findings, commenting that results from further studies would be awaited with interest.
More information on parathyroid hormone therapy can be found in the charity's information leaflet on drugs for osteoporosis.
© Adfero Ltd
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