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Review ArticleMedical ProgressFree Preview

Mechanisms of Anabolic Therapies for Osteoporosis

List of authors.
  • Ernesto Canalis, M.D.,
  • Andrea Giustina, M.D.,
  • and John P. Bilezikian, M.D.

Antiresorptive agents help to restore skeletal balance by reducing bone turnover, primarily at the tissue level. Another therapeutic approach is to enhance bone formation with the use of anabolic agents, which differ fundamentally from antiresorptive drugs in their primary mechanism of action. This article reviews the mechanisms of polypeptide anabolic agents and strontium as potential therapeutic options for osteoporosis.

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Funding and Disclosures

Supported by grants from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (AR21707, to Dr. Canalis), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK42424 and DK45227, to Dr. Canalis; and DK32333, to Dr. Bilezikian), and the Italian Ministry for the University and Research and Centro di Ricerca sull'Osteoporosi, University of Brescia/Ente Universitario Lombardia Orientale (to Dr. Giustina).

Dr. Canalis reports receiving support from Servier Pharmaceuticals and Acceleron Pharma to conduct preclinical laboratory work and consulting or lecture fees from Acceleron Pharma, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Roche, and the Alliance for Better Bone Health. Dr. Giustina reports receiving consulting or lecture fees from IGEA, Merck, Procter & Gamble, and Eli Lilly Italy and serving on advisory boards of Merck and Eli Lilly Italy. Dr. Bilezikian reports receiving consulting or lecture fees from Amgen, Merck, the Alliance for Better Bone Health, Eli Lilly, Novartis, NPS, and Radius Pharmaceuticals and research support from the Alliance for Better Bone Health. No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Author Affiliations

From the Department of Research, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT (E.C.); the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington (E.C.); the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (A.G.); and the Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York (J.P.B.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Canalis at the Department of Research, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, 114 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105-1299, or at .

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