New osteoporosis drug is first to form bone

The FDA recently approved teriparatide (rDNA origin) injection [Forteo, Eli Lilly], a recombinant form of human parathyroid hormone, for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at increased risk for fracture. Teriparatide is also indicated to increase bone mass in men with primary or hypogonadal osteoporosis who are at high risk for fracture.