A robotic pill to treat osteoporosis

An injectable osteoporosis drug can now be delivered orally thanks to a robotic pill that has a programmed injection mechanism. Researchers at Rani Therapeutics (CA, USA) recently presented their ‘robotic pill’ at ENDO 2023, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society (15–18 June 2023; IL, USA). This pill offers an alternative delivery method for an effective osteoporosis drug that, until now, has only been delivered via injection. To make the drug more accessible and less painful, the team has engineered a pill to deliver the treatment orally. Osteoporosis is a condition that affects bone strength, making bones more susceptible to breaks and fractures. The condition often affects the vertebrae, which if broken can lead to significant long-term pain. Currently, there are multiple medications and dietary supplements available for slowing the rate of bone thinning, which can be delivered orally or via injection; however, parathyroid hormone treatments are the only available treatments that actually stimulate cells to build bone. Teriparatide, a parathyroid hormone drug, is a proven and effective osteoporosis drug that, until recently, could only be delivered via daily injections .

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