04/08/2025
Interesting research which could be the start of future treatments for osteoporosis- a major problem for our aging UK population
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ds8Gh8KBc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Scientists from EPFL and biotech startup Flowbone have developed a cutting-edge injectable hydrogel aimed at reversing bone loss caused by conditions like osteoporosis.
This hydrogel mimics natural bone components and can be injected directly into weakened bones.
In preclinical trials on rats, it significantly increased local bone density within just a few weeks.
When used alone, the hydrogel improved bone density by about two to three times.
However, when combined with the osteoporosis drug zoledronate, the increase reached nearly five times, demonstrating a powerful synergistic effect.
The treatment works by providing a structural scaffold that encourages bone regeneration while also slowing bone breakdown.
This method is minimally invasive and could offer a transformative alternative to current osteoporosis therapies, which mainly focus on slowing bone loss rather than actively rebuilding it.
Although the results are still limited to animal studies, the promising outcomes pave the way for future human trials and may represent a major advancement in regenerative bone treatments.
