Medtronic, Inc. has announced the launch of KYPHON ActivOs 10 Bone Cement with Hydroxyapatite, a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement containing hydroxyapatite (HA) for use in the treatment of patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) who are undergoing minimally invasive surgery with KYPHON® Balloon Kyphoplasty. The launch of KYPHON ActivOs 10 Bone Cement with Hydroxyapatite in the US marks a milestone for the Kyphon Products Division, part of the Spinal and Biologics business at Medtronic.

Read the full story here

Lodotra – a unique modified-release formulation designed to be taken before bed and release low-dose prednisone in the early hours when inflammatory cytokines peak – achieves clinically significant improvements in ACR20, morning stiffness and pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to results from clinical trials presented at the 11th Annual European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) congress.

Read the full story here

Data from the RE-NOVATE® II study presented at the 15th  Annual Congress of the Europea Hematology Association (EHA) have shown that dabigatran etexilate 220mg once daily is as effective and safe as enoxaparin 40mg in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total hip replacement surgery. The results also showed that dabigatran etexilate significantly reduced the combined endpoint of major VTE and VTE-related death compared to enoxaparin.

Read the full story here

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have invented a new class of materials that can be injected as a low-viscosity fluid into the body that, using body heat as the only trigger, converts into a tough porous material with mechanical properties that mimic human cancellous bone. The mechanism of converting from a liquid to solid is so gentle that the injectable bone can carry living stem cells into the body without compromising their viability.

Read the full story here

According to Phyllis Edwards, certified bone densitometry technologist and nutritionist with Bio-Imaging Osteoporosis Outreach Services, said that weight loss can often lead to bone loss, especially in people who go through cycles of losing weight and then gaining it back. “Many people lose bone mass when they lose weight.. This pattern for losing weight can jeopardize your bone health in later life, particularly if you already have risk factors for osteoporosis. This includes men,” Edwards added.

The US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has decided that all federal lawsuits over Zimmer Durom Cup hip implants should be consolidated for pretrial litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Lawsuits involve allegations that the hip replacement device caused problems such as loosening of the hip joint and the need for additional surgery.

According to the results of an international study led by Taiwanese scientists, a common type of protein modification could be a cause of various health problems, including osteoporosis and hair loss. The research, conducted on mice, reveals that defective palmitoylation resulted in hair loss, severe osteoporosis, cachexia, systemic amyloidosis and early death in the animals, Academia Sinica said a statement.

The FDA has warned that high dose of a class of drugs known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), for conditions such as heartburn, acid reflux and gastric ulcers, for a long term carries an increased risk of bone fractures in the wrist, hip and spine. In their warning to consumers and health care professionals, the FDA said the product labeling will be changed to include a safety warning about the increased potential risk.

Prolia, a new injectable drug to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fractures has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The federal agency has announced that approving Prolia, made by Amgen, offers postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk of fractures another treatment option. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bone and makes it more likely to break.

Read the full story here

The WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®) is now easily accessible via iPhone, making the calculation tool independent of internet access and easy to use in any clinical setting. FRAX® is developed in partnership with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) non governmental organization dedicated to the global fight against osteoporosis. The FRAX® iPhone Application includes PIN Protection for security purposes, Patient Results Management and Shake-to-Reset Scale functionality.

Read the full story here