Purdue University: Drug That Accelerates Bone Healing Ready for Clinical Trials

This new drug would shorten the healing time, especially in hip, skull or knee fractures.

Knee Bones

In people who have suffered fractures, the healing process usually takes 20 to 30 days. This period could be shortened soon thanks to researchers at Purdue University. They have discovered a new injectable drug that will soon begin clinical trials, which aims to help broken bones heal faster and strengthen weak bones.

The new injectable drug is used to treat bone fractures in adults over 60 years of age when the healing process is slower due to aging. Older adults who have suffered a hip fracture usually die within a year. With this new injectable drug, delayed healing can be a thing of the past.

Over 200 clinical studies

The new drug called NOV004, discovered by university researchers in collaboration with Novosteo, could help to form new bone tissue at the site of the fracture while reducing exposure to the rest of the body.

“We have been working on an amazing science with people who are truly committed to reducing mortality and improving the quality of life for our aging population. We have completed pre-clinical studies with NOV004 and plan to move the product to clinical trials later this year,” said Scott Salka, CEO of Novosteo.

Currently, 228 clinical trials are being conducted on NOV004 at over 4,000 sites worldwide. Once the studies are completed, the drug could be in the hands of doctors and patients, according to Salka.

The use of NOV004 would not end with hip and knee fractures in the elderly: The new drug could also be used for dental implants, facial and skull fractures, hip and knee joint prostheses.