Two osteoporosis drugs work better than one

 A combination of teriparatide and denosumab seems to be better at increasing bone mineral density in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis than either drug on its own, says a new US study. And the combined drugs work better than any other available treatment for osteoporosis, say the researchers in The Lancet.

Scientists divided 94 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis into three groups: 20 micrograms of teriparatide daily; 60mg of denosumab every six months; or both drugs for 12 months.

Bone mineral density improved by an average of 4.2% in the neck and by 4.9% in the hip after one year of combination treatment… more of an improvement than any other group.

“Our results demonstrate that the combination of denosumab and teriparatide increases bone density more than either individual therapy, most likely because denosumab is able to potently block bone resorption (loss) even when given along with a bone-building agent like teriparatide,” says lead author Dr Benjamin Leder.

More long-term studies are needed but it could be good news for patients if the combination of drugs turns out to be a more effective treatment of osteoporosis.