Osteoporosis Treatment & Cure: Newly Developed Drug May Help Bones Grow

A newly developed drug has been found to help regrow bones suggesting that osteoporosis treatment and cure may be a possibility in the future.

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have developed a drug that could help treat osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions, including diabetes and obesity. They published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

In the study, scientists investigated a protein called PPARG and its effects on bone marrow stem cells (mesenchymal stem cells). They designed a compound called SR2595 that would repress the protein because reduced PPARG in mouse models encouraged bone growth, according to Medical News Today.

This could be a promising prospect for treating osteoporosis and for other therapeutic applications.

"These findings demonstrate for the first time a new therapeutic application for drugs targeting PPARG, which has been the focus of efforts to develop insulin sensitizers to treat type 2 diabetes," said Patrick Griffin, PhD, molecular therapeutics department chair and director of the Translational Research Institute at Scripps Research Institute.

Demonstrating the drug in mice models was proven to be successful and Professor Griffin said that their next step is to identify its potential in treating numerous illnesses.

"We have already demonstrated SR2595 has suitable properties for testing in mice; the next step is to perform an in-depth analysis of the drug's efficacy in animal models of bone loss, aging, obesity and diabetes," Prof. Griffin said, according to Daily Mail.

David P. Marciano, a co-author, added that apart from the potential of their study to modify new compounds for other therapeutic applications, they understood how molecules can regulate metabolic and bone homeostasis.

"In addition, we now better understand how natural molecules in our bodies regulate metabolic and bone homeostasis, and how unwanted changes can underlie the pathogenesis of a disease," Marciano said, as per Eureka Alert.

Osteoporosis is a condition which causes the bones to thin and brittle, so weak that a simple body gesture of bending over or coughing can cause a mild fracture. Most commonly occurring fractures happen in the wrist, spine and hip.

Our bone is a living tissue that is constantly eroding and rebuilt by the body and osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to produce enough bone, according to Mayo Clinic.

According to Healthline, there are approximately 10 million in the United States who are suffering from osteoporosis and 18 million are at risk for developing the condition. Osteoporosis can affect men and women of any race. However, those who have the highest risk are postmenopausal white and Asian women.