Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Forteo |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 95% |
Metabolism | Hepatic (nonspecific proteolysis) |
Biological half-life | SubQ: 1 hour |
Excretion | Renal (metabolites) |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.168.733 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C181H291N55O51S2 |
Molar mass | 4117.72 g/mol |
3D model (Jmol) | |
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(what is this?) |
Teriparatide is a recombinant form of parathyroid hormone consisting of the first (N-terminus) 34 amino acids, which is the bioactive portion of the hormone. It is an effective anabolic (i.e., bone growing) agent used in the treatment of some forms of osteoporosis. It is also occasionally used off-label to speed fracture healing. Teriparatide is identical to a portion of human parathyroid hormone (PTH) and intermittent use activates osteoblasts more than osteoclasts, which leads to an overall increase in bone.
Teriparatide is sold by Eli Lilly and Company under the brand name Forteo. In the United States as of 2015 each dose costs between 579 and 967 USD.
Teriparatide is the only anabolic (i.e., bone growing) agent indicated for use in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at a high risk for fracture or with a history of osteoporotic fracture, patients with multiple risk factors for fracture, and for patients who have failed or are intolerant to other available osteoporosis therapy. It has been FDA-approved since 2002. It is effective in growing bone (e.g., 8% increase in bone density in the spine after one year) and reducing the risk of fragility fractures. Osteoporosis medications are generally safe, but some side effects of teriparatide include headache, nausea, dizziness, and limb pain.
One randomized trial of postmenopausal women who had already fractured vertebra compared teriparatide at either 20 or 40 micrograms per day with placebo. After about 19 months, 14% of the women taking placebo had new vertebral fractures, as compared with 5% of the women taking 20 micrograms of teriparatide and 4% of the women taking 40 micrograms. There were also a statistically significant lower number of non-vertebral fractures in the teriparatide treated group. 20 micrograms of teriparatide increased spine and hip bone mineral density.
Teriparatide is used as off-label therapy to speed fracture repair and treat fracture nonunions. It has been reported to have been successfully used to heal fracture nonunions. Generally, due to HIPAA regulations, it is not publicized when American athletes receive this treatment to improve fracture recovery. But an Italian soccer player, Francesco Totti, was given teriparatide after a tibia/fibula fracture, and he unexpectedly recovered in time for the 2006 World Cup. It has been reported that Mark Mulder used it to recover from a hip fracture Oakland A's for the 2003 MLB playoffs and Terrell Owens to recover from an ankle fracture before the 2005 Super Bowl.