Increasing Patient Adherence in Osteoporosis: Transdermal Parathyroid Hormone

描述（由申请人提供）：随着婴儿潮一代达到骨质疏松症成为主要健康问题的年龄，每天一次的贴片提供甲状旁腺激素（PTH），这是FDA批准的唯一一种产生骨骼生长效果的治疗方法，可以改善数百万人的生活，并极大地影响这些即将老龄化的人口的整体健康。TheraJect公司已经获得了一项新技术的专利，该技术可以在不使用标准针头和注射器的情况下向患者全身输送甲状旁腺激素。微型“针”PTH贴片上覆盖着长约500微米的小“针”。这些“针”穿透皮肤，将肽输送到组织液中，但它们看起来既不像传统的针，也不会引起疼痛或出血。由于老年人口在日常生活中已经面临许多重大的健康障碍，因此应尽可能轻松地遵守医疗方案。由于骨生长的净效应，甲状旁腺激素贴片治疗有可能恢复老年患者的自主性、能动性、控制力和尊严。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As the baby boomers reach the age where osteoporosis becomes a major health problem, a once daily patch delivering parathyroid hormone (PTH), the only FDA approved therapy producing the effect of bone growth, could improve the lives of millions and dramatically affect the overall health for this soon to be aging population. TheraJect Inc. has patented a novel technology that enables the systemic delivery of PTH to a patient without the use of a standard needle and syringe. The micro "needle" PTH Patch is covered with small, about 500 micrometer long, "needles". These "needles" penetrate the skin and deliver the peptide to the interstitial fluid, but they neither look like a traditional needle nor cause pain or bleeding. As the elderly population is already faced with many significant health obstacles in their daily life, compliance with medical regimens should be made as effortless as possible. With the net effect of bone growth, the PTH patch therapy has the potential to restore autonomy, agency, control, and dignity to elderly patients.