National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov

NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
NCI Drug Dictionary
Page Options
Print This Page
Quick Links
Director's Corner
Updates from the Director

Dictionary of Cancer Terms
Cancer-related terms

NCI Drug Dictionary
Definitions, names, and links

Funding Opportunities
Research and training

NCI Publications
Order/download free booklets

Advisory Boards and Groups
Information, meetings, reports

Science Serving People
Learn more about NCI

Español
Información en español
Quit Smoking Today
NCI Highlights
Report to Nation Finds Declines in Cancer Incidence, Death Rates

High Dose Chemotherapy Prolongs Survival for Leukemia

Prostate Cancer Study Shows No Benefit for Selenium, Vitamin E

The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research FY 2009

Past Highlights
Search for
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All

oral bisphosphonate MER-101
An oral tablet formulation containing zoledronic acid combined with a proprietary absorption enhancer for improved zoledronic acid gastrointestinal absorption with anti-bone-resorption activity. The third-generation bisphosphonate zoledronic acid binds to hydroxyapatite crystals in the bone matrix, slowing their dissolution and inhibiting the formation and aggregation of these crystals. This agent also inhibits farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase, an enzyme involved in terpenoid biosynthesis. Inhibition of this enzyme prevents the biosynthesis of isoprenoid lipids, donor substrates of farnesylation and geranylgeranylation during the post-translational modification of small GTPase signalling proteins, which are important in the process of osteoclast turnover. The proprietary absorption enhancer is a GRAS (generally-recognized-as-safe) food additive. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)

US brand name:Orazol
Code name:MER-101



Previous:opioid growth factor, opium tincture, Optison, Ora-Testryl, Oracit
Next:oral fludarabine phosphate, oral JAK inhibitor INCB18424, oral microencapsulated diindolylmethane, oral picoplatin, oral sodium phenylbutyrate

A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov