Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine, used by 3 million UK patients for hypothyroidism, may raise osteoporosis risk. Johns Hopkins study found more bone mass loss in older adults on the drug. Researchers suggest incorrect prescribing might be the issue.

Levothyroxine, commonly prescribed for hypothyroidism, may be linked to bone loss in older adults, even when TSH levels are within normal range, according to a Johns Hopkins study presented at RSNA.

New research suggests levothyroxine, a thyroid medication often prescribed to older Americans, may be linked to bone loss. The study, led by Dr. Elena Ghotbi, found that levothyroxine users had greater bone mass and density loss over time, even when thyroid function was normal. The findings were presented at the Radiological Society of America meeting and suggest a need for regular thyroid function tests and risk-benefit assessments for levothyroxine use.

New research suggests levothyroxine, a thyroid medication often prescribed to older Americans, may be linked to bone loss. The study, presented at the Radiological Society of America meeting, found that levothyroxine users had greater bone mass and density loss over time, even when thyroid function was normal. Researchers recommend regular thyroid function tests and risk-benefit assessments for levothyroxine treatment.

Article references thyroid hormone regulation in various contexts, including metabolic control, liver disease, and cancer. It highlights the roles of thyroid hormone receptors, deiodinases, and transporters, and discusses the therapeutic potential of thyromimetics in treating conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Immunovant reports positive batoclimab trial results in Graves’ disease, with 76% response rate. IMVT-1402, another candidate, moves closer to pivotal trial. Batoclimab shows 56% ATD-Free Response and is also being evaluated for thyroid eye disease and CIDP.

The FDA approved resmetirom, a drug for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), developed by Duke professor Paul Yen. Resmetirom targets MASH, a liver disease linked to obesity, affecting 115 million globally. Yen's research, focusing on thyroid hormones, led to the drug's development, aiming to prevent severe complications like cirrhosis and cardiovascular disease.

Iovance Biotherapeutics' MDA-TIL trial terminated due to lack of efficacy, leading to drops in Phase Transition Success Rates (PTSR) in various cancers. Sention Therapeutics' ST-1891 and Armata Pharmaceuticals' APPA-02 trials completed successfully in hypothyroidism and bronchiectasis, respectively, boosting their PTSRs. Karyopharm Therapeutics' Xpovio trial in metastatic melanoma and Worg Pharmaceuticals Hangzhou's WP-1302 trial in Graves' disease were terminated, affecting their PTSRs negatively.