New drug from Himalayan tree to heal bones faster

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Bone fractures will now heal faster thanks to drug molecules developed by a team of Indian scientists from a tree that thrives in the Himalayas. The drug molecules stimulates bone formation, filling up fractures at a rapid pace.

Scientists from the Central Drug Research Institute, a CSIR laboratory based in Lucknow conducted research on the Himalayan tree after they found that its bark was being used in ethno-traditional medicine in Kumaon and Garhwal regions as a poultice to heal fractures. They discovered novel bone anabolic (growth) agents in the tree’s bark. The tree grows at elevations of 800-3,000 metres above sea level.

CSIR-CDRI has executed an exclusive licence agreement to create a drug with a USA-based firm, Kemxtree LLC, for accelerated healing of fractures by stimulating bone formation using these novel bone anabolic agents. The compounds obtained from the Himalayan tree reversed the pathology of bone loss disease by inducing new bone formation in animal models established for testing post-menopausal osteoporosis.

At present, the only bone growth medicine available in case of a bone fractures, has to be taken in the form of injections. Moreover, it should be taken only once in a lifetime. However, the new drug that will be developed to heal bone fractures, can be taken orally.

In the first phase, these molecules will be developed as a drug that can be consumed orally rapid fracture-healing agent, said Dr Vinay Tripathi, senior principal scientist and head, division of S&T management, CSIR-CDRI.

Bone anabolic therapy (treatment for rebuilding new bone) is an unmet medical need.

The only available bone growth promoting (anabolic) agent today is human parathyroid hormone (PTH) that suffers from many limitations like prohibitive cost of the treatment and safety aspects including the danger of bone cancer.

The CSIR-CDRI molecules hold the promise of overcoming many of the disadvantages associated with PTH. Indian and international patent applications have already been filed to protect this invention. Dr Ravi Natarajan, CEO, Kemxtree LLC said currently there is no therapy available for accelerating the fracture healing process and the new molecules would be of great help for patients with bone fractures.

For a country like India, where thousands of accidents occur daily and the victims cannot afford the luxury of staying away from work for long periods, rapid fracture healing agents such as these would help a great deal.

These novel bone rebuilding agents hold tremendous promise for use in the treatment of other bone loss conditions such as secondary osteoporosis (that result from exposure to anti-inflammatory steroids) as well as primary osteoporosis (post-menopausal and aging-induced bone loss.