Oncology
Pamifos belongs to a group of drugs called bisphosphonates. It is a drug that affects the building and breaking down of bones and is a potent inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption. It can be used to treat high levels of calcium in the blood caused by cancer that has spread to the bones (secondary bone cancer), bone weakness or pain caused by myeloma or by breast cancer that has spread to the bones. The drug is provided in the form of a solution that can be given as a slow infusion.
Pamidronate disodium/Pamidronic acid
Pamidronate generally has a strong affinity for calcified tissue. By attaching to the bone surface, pamidronate inhibits the mineralisation of the bone substance on the one hand, and on the other hand it inhibits bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclasts. The osteoclasts take up the active substance by phagocytosis in the course of bone substance resorption. Pamidronate as a nitrogen-containing bisphophonate inhibits farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. The products of this enzyme, farnesyl and geranyl pyrophosphate, are needed to anchor small G-proteins (including Ras) in the cell membrane. If these G-proteins are missing, growth factors bound to cell receptors no longer have any effect on the cell. As a result, the osteoclasts die in the course of apoptosis. The main pharmacological effect is based on inhibition of bone resorption and suppression of bone remodelling, which leads at least to stabilisation or usually to an increase in bone mass based on physiological hydroxyapatite.
Conditions associated with increased osteoclast activity:
Concentrate for solution for infusion:
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