New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis weakens bones to the point where they fracture easily, often in the spine, hip, or wrist. It affects about 10 million Americans, mostly women after menopause. Current treatments include bisphosphonates like alendronate, denosumab injections, and newer bone-building drugs like romosozumab and abaloparatide.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing drugs that build bone faster or prevent loss more completely, including modified versions of parathyroid hormone and sclerostin inhibitors. Researchers are studying how to identify fracture risk earlier, whether existing drugs work better in combination, and treatments that might rebuild bone density in people who've already fractured.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on bone density scores, history of fractures, age, menopause status for women, and prior osteoporosis treatments.

What types of trials are currently open

• Treatment trials — Testing new osteoporosis drugs or comparing existing ones to see which best prevents fractures or builds bone density.
• Combination therapy trials — Testing whether using two drugs together—often a bone-builder followed by a drug that preserves density—works better than single treatments.
• Prevention trials — Enrolling people with low bone density but no fractures yet, to see if early treatment prevents breaks.
• Post-fracture trials — Testing treatments in people who've already broken a bone, when fracture risk is highest.
• Observational studies — Following people on osteoporosis treatment to learn which factors predict fractures and treatment response.