Click the arrow to watch the Amgen Prolia commercial. You may be subjected to an ad first. Video source: Platinum Adverts YouTube channel.
In July 2013, I wrote a blog article about five medical discoveries in microgravity that were on the market on pending clinical trials.
One of those is an Amgen product called Prolia, an treatment for older people with osteoporosis who are at high risk for a fracture.
Originally known as denosumab, the treatment was tested on mice in microgravity during Space Shuttle flight STS-108 in 2001. NASA continues to research bone loss treatments in space, as bone loss is accelerated by microgravity. An Amgen-sponsored experiment flew on STS-135, the final Shuttle flight, in July 2011.
The advantage for pharmaceutical companies is that the accelerated bone loss in microgravity will demonstrate much more quickly on a test subject if the medication actually works. It can significantly reduce the time to bring the product to clinical trials.
I saw the above commercial for Prolia play during the February 17 edition of The View. The commercial doesn't mention the product was tested on the Shuttle, but it's the first time I can recall seeing on TV a product tested and proven in space.
(Tang doesn't count ...)
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