SMC021 (Nordic Bioscience)

**SMC021** is an investigational oral tablet formulation of salmon calcitonin developed by Nordic Bioscience with Novartis. It contains 0.8 mg salmon calcitonin together with 200 mg 5-CNAC, an Eligen absorption enhancer developed by Emisphere to support gastrointestinal uptake of the peptide. Salmon calcitonin is a peptide-hormone agonist of the calcitonin receptor that suppresses osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. In a 4,665-patient, 36-month Phase III trial in postmenopausal osteoporosis, SMC021 did not reduce incident vertebral fractures versus placebo; Novartis subsequently ended further development and did not seek regulatory approval. ([ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2551583/))