Osteoporosis therapies

Abstract

A total of 1265 patent applications claiming therapeutic utility in osteoporosis and 173 products or projects in development were analysed. Distribution of patent assignees in the original file was found to be very much biased, with the top three ranking companies, Eli Lilly, SmithKline Beecham and Merck & Co., accounting for more than 20% of the qualifying items. The most popularly investigated pharmacological class within osteoporosis is bone metabolism modulation, though cell control agents are rapidly emerging in the field and are expected to be the source of much future innovation. The top-ranking companies appear to be focusing on a maximum of two or three classes, with only slight differences of emphasis. Lilly is profiled here in detail, in order to exemplify the analytical techniques applied to the data.

• bone metabolism modulation
• cell control agents
• development products
• innovation
• osteoporosis
• patent assignees