Glucocorticoids are used to treat diseases caused by an overactive immune system and cancer. Glucocorticoid treatment has detrimental side-effects including the induction of secondary osteoporosis that leads to an increased risk of bone fracture.

Pharmatest offers a model of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) where intact male mice are treated with prednisolone, a corticosteroid drug that is used widely in clinical practice. In mice, prednisolone treatment impairs bone formation and bone strength, mimicking GIO observed in human patients.

Specific standard and tailored study setups are available for the efficacy testing of new drug candidates, biosimilars and functional foods for treating GIO, and for testing side-effects of new glucocorticoids on bone. A list of bone analyses that we offer in our animal models can be found in our list of bone analysis services.