Biologic
RCSB PDB 7Y36
Teriparatide
Forteo
- Mechanism of action
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor agonist
- In plain language
- A lab-made fragment of parathyroid hormone that stimulates the body to build new bone.
- How it works
- Teriparatide is a recombinant DNA-derived fragment of human parathyroid hormone (amino acids 1-34) that acts as an agonist at the PTH1 receptor on osteoblasts. Administered once daily by subcutaneous injection, it produces intermittent, transient elevations in PTH signaling that preferentially stimulate osteoblastic bone formation over osteoclastic bone resorption, the opposite pattern seen with continuous PTH exposure, which favors resorption.
- Therapeutic applications
- FDA-indicated for treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, and for treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women at high risk for fracture. Lifetime use is generally limited to 2 years given a boxed warning regarding osteosarcoma risk observed in rodent studies.
- Class
- Peptide analog
- Therapeutic area
- Bone / Metabolic
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