Regulator approves new osteoporosis drug denosumab

27th October 2010 - The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is recommending a new treatment option for women at increased risk of osteoporotic fractures.

Denosumab (Prolia) will be made available on the NHS for some postmenopausal women who are at an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures - if other treatments available on the NHS are unsuitable.

Most women are prescribed alendronate in the first instance before being prescribed risedronate or etidronate, but for some, these oral bisphosphonates may be unsuitable.

Denosumab is given as a single injection into the thigh, abdomen or the back of the arm, usually every six months. Each dose costs £183.

In a statement, Dr Carole Longson, Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director at NICE says: “Denosumab joins the range of treatments that NICE has already advised should be available on the NHS, to help stop a fracture from occurring in the first place, or to help women who have previously had a fracture.

“This new guidance is good news for postmenopausal women at increased risk of fracture as it means that they now have a further treatment option to help them avoid suffering an osteoporotic fracture.”