[Teriparatide: human recombinant parathyroid hormone (1-34) as a daily subcutaneous injection]

Teriparatide is a preparation of human parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1-34). It has been approved as an agent for stimulating bone formation in many foreign countries, including Europe and the United States. In Japan, it was approved in July this year. In nonclinical studies, teriparatide was shown to have a unique bone formation-stimulating effect not seen in existing drugs. In domestic and overseas clinical studies, teriparatide was shown to have strong effects in increasing BMD, promoting remodeling of bone microstructure and suppressing the onset of fracture. Furthermore, teriparatide can increase BMD through stimulation of bone formation regardless of the nature of prior treatment or the presence/absence of responses to prior treatment. With these features, teriparatide is expected to serve as a first-line drug for management of patients with osteoporosis at elevated risk for fracture.