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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Drug Treatment and In Vivo Imaging of Osteoblast-Osteoclast Interactions in a Medaka Fish Osteoporosis Model
08:53

Drug Treatment and In Vivo Imaging of Osteoblast-Osteoclast Interactions in a Medaka Fish Osteoporosis Model

Published on: January 1, 2017

New and emerging antiresorptive treatments in osteoporosis

Lars Rejnmark1, Leif Mosekilde

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, MEA, Aarhus Sygehus, Aarhus University Hospital, Tage-Hansensgade 2, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. rejnmark@post6.tele.dk

Current Drug Safety
|April 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

New antiresorptive drugs target specific bone resorption pathways, potentially enhancing bone formation. Unlike bisphosphonates, their effects are reversible, offering clinical advantages for conditions like osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Bone Biology
  • Drug Development

Background:

  • Bisphosphonates are traditional antiresorptive agents inducing osteoclast apoptosis.
  • Advances in understanding bone resorption reveal new therapeutic targets.
  • Novel drugs aim to uncouple bone resorption from formation, potentially yielding anabolic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review pharmacological properties and clinical effects of emerging antiresorptive drugs.
  • To discuss drugs recently approved or in late-stage clinical trials.
  • To explore potential future therapies targeting specific bone resorption pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Review of pharmacological properties of novel antiresorptive agents.
  • Analysis of clinical effects from phase I, II, and III trials.
  • Discussion of emerging therapeutic targets and drug classes.

Main Results:

  • New drugs selectively target osteoclast pathways, reducing bone resorption without inhibiting bone formation.
  • Reversible action of some new drugs offers advantages in managing bone turnover.
  • Several drug classes, including denosumab and cathepsin K inhibitors, are in advanced clinical development.

Conclusions:

  • Novel antiresorptive therapies offer improved efficacy and safety profiles compared to traditional agents.
  • Targeted approaches promise to uncouple bone resorption and formation, potentially leading to net bone gain.
  • Future research will focus on drugs targeting specific pathways like integrin antagonism and acidification inhibition.

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