Can cancer drugs treat osteoporosis and midlife weight gain?

By Stephen Beech

Millions of people battling brittle bone disease and middle-age weight gain could benefit from a cancer drug, according to new research.

The experimental treatment could stop osteoporosis and help women stay slim after the menopause, scientists say.

The study, led by researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA), shows that a compound originally designed to fight cancer may protect against the bone disease and also reduce body fat and reverse some of the changes linked to menopause.

The drug, called CADD522, was originally developed to block a protein which helps drive the growth and spread of several forms of cancer.

But scientists found the treatment appeared to strengthen bones in post-menopausal mice while also helping them stay leaner.

Lead researcher Darrell Green said: "Osteoporosis affects around one in three women over the age of 50, leaving sufferers vulnerable to painful fractures that can seriously impact quality of life.

"Current treatments exist, but many are plagued by side effects, safety concerns or inconvenient dosing schedules that make long-term use difficult.

"We have uncovered an entirely new way of tackling the disease.

"We found that a drug originally developed to stop cancer could help millions of women facing the twin challenge of fragile bones and midlife weight gain.

"We hope our work could lead to a new generation of osteoporosis treatments that tackle bone loss while also addressing some of the wider metabolic consequences of menopause."

The researchers used mice that had undergone surgery to mimic the hormonal changes seen after menopause.

Animals treated with CADD522 for eight weeks showed "significant improvements" in bone health.

Scans revealed increased bone volume and better preservation of the delicate honeycomb-like structures inside bones that are crucial for strength and resilience.

Blood tests suggested the drug stimulated new bone growth, while not interfering with the body's normal process of breaking down and rebuilding bone.

Green, of UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: "This is particularly important because many existing osteoporosis drugs work by suppressing bone loss, which can sometimes lead to complications when used for long periods.

"But the biggest surprise came when we looked beyond bone health.

"The mice receiving CADD522 weighed less than their untreated counterparts despite eating the same amount of food.

"They also had less body fat and fewer fat deposits accumulating inside their bone marrow - a process that is commonly seen after menopause and is linked to declining bone health."

The team also examined brain tissue and found the drug appeared to reverse several menopause-related changes in fatty acids.

Levels of beneficial omega-3 fats remained largely intact, while a number of other lipid abnormalities shifted back towards healthier patterns.

Green said: "We didn't directly test for memory or thinking ability, but our work raises questions about whether this drug could one day help address wider menopause-related health problems."

The treatment's potential as a future medicine also received a boost from safety testing.

Experiments in mice, rats and dogs found CADD522 could be taken orally and was well tolerated.

The findings, published in npj Drug Discovery, showed that the drug appeared to be metabolized more slowly in human tissue than in rodents, potentially improving its performance in people.

Green added: "This is still in the early stages and has so far only been tested in animals, but we hope that the benefits will translate to humans to ultimately reduce fracture rates."