Denosumab

Denosumab is a novel, fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody specific to receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), suppresses bone resorption markers in patients with a variety of metastatic tumors and is being investigated in multiple clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of bone metastases. Chemically, it consists of 2 heavy and 2 light chains. Each light chain consists of 215 amino acids. Each heavy chain consists of 448 amino acids with 4 intramolecular disulfides. FDA approved on June 1, 2010.

Prolia is indicated for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture. It reduces the incidence of vertebral, nonvertebral, and hip fractures. Prolia is also indicated as a treatment to increase bone mass in women at high risk for fracture receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer. It can also be used in men with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture or in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer to increase bone mass. Xgeva is indicated for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors.