Teriparatide
Also referenced as: Forteo, PTH 1-34
A recombinant PTH fragment used as an anabolic osteoporosis treatment.
- Evidence grade
- AStrong Clinical Evidence
Strong Clinical Evidence
- Regulatory status
- FDA Approved for Specific Indication
FDA-approved for specified high-fracture-risk osteoporosis populations including postmenopausal women, men and glucocorticoid-associated osteoporosis.
- Human data
- Yes
Registered clinical trials exist
- Last reviewed
- October 27, 2026
Overview
A recombinant PTH fragment used as an anabolic osteoporosis treatment.
FDA-approved for specified high-fracture-risk osteoporosis populations including postmenopausal women, men and glucocorticoid-associated osteoporosis.
An obsolete absolute lifetime two-year prohibition should not be repeated: longer use is restricted by current label criteria to continued or recurrent high fracture risk.
Why It's Being Studied
- High-risk osteoporosis
- Bone formation
Mechanism of Action
Intermittent PTH1-receptor activation promotes bone formation in the prescribed clinical context.
Intermittent PTH1-receptor activation promotes bone formation in the prescribed clinical context. An obsolete absolute lifetime two-year prohibition should not be repeated: longer use is restricted by current label criteria to continued or recurrent high fracture risk.
From molecular target to clinical evidence
Tap each stage to see what happens.
Background: Clinical Peptide Medicines
Clinical peptide medicines include endocrine treatments, antimicrobial drugs, receptor blockers and targeted diagnostic or cancer agents. They do not share one mechanism or one set of indications.
An approval belongs to a specific medicine and indication. A diagnostic tracer, an antibiotic and a hormone are not interchangeable wellness products; read each profile's own mechanism and prescribing source.
Research Areas & Routes Studied
- High-risk osteoporosis
- Bone formation
- Subcutaneous approved medicine
Evidence Summary
Randomized human studies support fracture and bone-density outcomes in high-risk osteoporosis populations.
Higher tiers carry more weight. Filled tiers have evidence for Teriparatide; tap to read it.
- Randomized human studies support fracture and bone-density outcomes in high-risk osteoporosis populations.
1 cited sources.
- Prescribing label1
Human clinical evidence
- Randomized human studies support fracture and bone-density outcomes in high-risk osteoporosis populations.
Reported Adverse Events in Research
- Hypercalcemia, orthostatic symptoms and osteosarcoma-risk precautions are important.
Limitations of Current Evidence
- An obsolete absolute lifetime two-year prohibition should not be repeated: longer use is restricted by current label criteria to continued or recurrent high fracture risk.
- Findings apply to the product, route and population studied; they do not establish benefits or safety for unrelated wellness uses or research-vial products.
How to Read This Research
- Is this a single molecule or a family of medicines?
- Is the use diagnostic, therapeutic or investigational?
- Does the quoted outcome match the exact product, formulation and population?
- Use the compound-specific mechanism above; this diagram describes drug development, not a shared biological pathway.
- Historical approval, present availability and off-label use are distinct questions.
- For radiopharmaceuticals and hospital medicines, specialist handling is part of the treatment context.
- Indication
- The condition and population for which a medicine is approved.
- Antagonist
- A compound that blocks activity at a receptor.
- Radiopharmaceutical
- A medicine containing a radioactive isotope for imaging or treatment.
Compare With Other Compounds
| Teriparatide | Trofinetide | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence grade | A — Strong Clinical Evidence | B — Moderate Human Evidence |
| Regulatory status | FDA Approved for Specific Indication | FDA Approved for Specific Indication |
| Human data | Yes | Yes |
| Clinical trials | Registered trials exist | Registered trials exist |
| Research routes | Subcutaneous approved medicine | Oral approved medicine |
| Cited sources | 1 | 2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Research References
- Prescribing label
Teriparatide — prescribing label