Nasally and sc Administered Teriparatide in Healthy Volunteers (NINTTO)

Osteoporosis is a reduction in bone density that increases the risk of fractures; particularly of the spine, hip and wrist. Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide - approximately one tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80 and two-thirds of women aged 90. Treating osteoporosis and the associated fractures costs the NHS more than two billion pounds per annum. Teriparatide is a drug currently prescribed for some osteoporosis patients by their doctor to be taken by injection. It is currently the only drug available which promotes the deposition of new bone as opposed to preventing resorption. This is the drug treatment we will be studying in this clinical trial. The drug is of a type that cannot normally be taken as a swallowed pill. This type of drugs tends to be delivered by injection, as is currently the case for teriparatide. Injections have numerous limitations and are disliked by patients. This trial will assess how well the nasal spray devices work, how long the drug stays in the nose and also how well the drug enters the bloodstream.