In a study published online, in advance of the print edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers said deferoxamine activates a cell pathway that helps the body respond to low oxygen levels that often accompany fractures, by triggering the growth of new blood vessels, which in turn causes bone to regenerate and heal.

"With deferoxamine activating this pathway, we've proven a significant point -- it is possible to explore new, safe and more affordable ways to kick-start bone repair," study co-author Dr. Shawn Gilbert of the University of Alabama at Birmingham said in a statement. "Current treatments use complex proteins, which are expensive to make and cost thousands of dollars per dose. The type of agent used in this study is a simple, small molecule drug that costs hundreds, not thousands."

In the study, the bone density of broken mouse bones injected with deferoxamine more than doubled to 2.6 cubic millimeters, compared to 1.2 cubic millimeters in untreated bones. There were also significant increases in the number of new blood vessels, and excellent connectivity between those vessels, the study found.