Chad Deal, MD, Rheumatologist, Head, Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease, Cleveland Clinic, discusses anabolic agents that build bone, the current parathyroid hormone drugs and the future of calcium–sensing receptor antagonists to treat patients at high risk for fracture.

Summary:
1. PTH or parathyroid hormone is the only anabolic agent currently used to treat patients with bone loss or history of fractures.
2. Calcium-sensing antagonists which release a daily pulse of PTH are being studied in trials.
3. A future drug class will be antibodies against signaling pathway proteins.

References and Resources
Masuda H, Tanaka S. [Drugs under development for osteoporosis.] Nippon Rinsho. 2009 May;67(5):980-4. Review.
Deal C. Future therapeutic targets in osteoporosis. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2009 Jul;21(4):380-5.

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Dr. Deal has disclosed the following:
Salary: Amgen
Royalty: GlaxoSmithKline
Receipt of Intellectual Property Rights/Patent Holder: Procter & Gamble
Consulting Fees: Lilly
Fees for Non-CME Services Received Directly from a Commercial Interest or their Agents: Novartis
Contracted Research: Novartis, Amgen, GlaxoSmithKline