Bone-building drug which prevents fractures in people with osteoporosis approved for use in UK – here’s how it works

The drug was shown to reduce risk of arm and wrist fractures by 69%. Peter Porrini/ Shutterstock

A new anti-osteoporosis drug has just been approved for use in the UK. The drug, called abaloparatide, is licensed for post-menopausal women with osteoporosis and a very high risk of fractures. Abaloparatide’s approval could benefit more than 14,000 women in the UK who are at serious risk of bone fracture.

Osteoporosis affects about 3.8 million people in the UK. The disorder causes bones to become fragile due to low bone mass and deterioration in bone structure. This makes them more likely to break.