New Osteoporosis Drug in testing

For those looking for alternatives to the existing drug treatments for osteoporosis, there’s something new in the works. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Friday, December 14, 2007, Scientists have introduced the first studies for an experimental drug, denosumab (D-mab) being developed by Amgen Inc. There are already many drugs for osteoporosis on the market. They’re taken as weekly or monthly pills and can have side effects like heartburn, ulcers of the esophagus and, although rare, jawbone decay that can be serious. D-mab will be given as a twice-a-year injection. More data from studies during 2008 will be needed before it will be available.