UCB and Amgen have reported results from the Phase II study of romosozumab drug, an investigational bone forming agent in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD).
Presented at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) 2014 Annual Meeting in Houston, the data showed that romosozumab inhibits protein sclerostin, increases bone mineral density and thus decreases bone breakdown.
Oregon Osteoporosis Center director Dr Michael McClung said: "Fractures or broken bones due to osteoporosis are very common and often have a life altering impact on an older woman and her family.
"It is encouraging to see that treatment with romosozumab for a second-year provided additional increases in bone mineral density beyond what was seen during the first 12 months of treatment."
During the first 12 months of treatment, with continued increases through year two, the study found that romosozumab had increased lumbar spine and total hip BMD.
Results also showed that women administered with romosozumab had greater improvements in cortical parameters of the vertebrae, compared to those treated with open-label Forteo (teriparatide) or placebo at 12 months.
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By GlobalDataAmgen research and development executive vice-president Dr Sean Harper said: "We are very excited about the potential of romosozumab to significantly build bone for people at high-risk for fracture, in particular those who have already fractured, given the impact this can have on a patient.
"We look forward to continued investigation of romosozumab in our extensive global Phase III programme, which includes two large fracture trials comparing the treatment with either placebo or active comparators in more than 10,000 patients with osteoporosis."