Denosumab and Male Infertility: a RCT

Summary

To determine the significance of systemic RANKL inhibition for male reproduction, conducting a clinical controlled randomized double blinded intervention study on infertile men, to investigating whether Denosumab (Prolia) can increase semen quality and to investigate what subgroup of infertile men that might benefit from treatment.

Timeline

Start

2017-01

Primary completion

2021-01

Completion

2023-05

Publications

• Background Boivin J, Bunting L, Collins JA, Nygren KG. International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Hum Reprod. 2007 Jun;22(6):1506-12. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dem046. Epub 2007 Mar 21.
• Background Lunenfeld B, Van Steirteghem A; Bertarelli Foundation. Infertility in the third millennium: implications for the individual, family and society: condensed meeting report from the Bertarelli Foundation's second global conference. Hum Reprod Update. 2004 Jul-Aug;10(4):317-26. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmh028. Epub 2004 Jun 10.
• Background Krausz C. Male infertility: pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr;25(2):271-85. doi: 10.1016/j.beem.2010.08.006.
• Background Huynh T, Mollard R, Trounson A. Selected genetic factors associated with male infertility. Hum Reprod Update. 2002 Mar-Apr;8(2):183-98. doi: 10.1093/humupd/8.2.183.
• Background Jain T, Gupta RS. Trends in the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jul 19;357(3):251-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa070707.
• Background Kupka MS, Ferraretti AP, de Mouzon J, Erb K, D'Hooghe T, Castilla JA, Calhaz-Jorge C, De Geyter C, Goossens V; European IVF-Monitoring Consortium, for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2010: results generated from European registers by ESHREdagger. Hum Reprod. 2014 Oct 10;29(10):2099-113. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu175. Epub 2014 Jul 27.
• Background European IVF-monitoring programme (EIM) for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE); Andersen AN, Gianaroli L, Felberbaum R, de Mouzon J, Nygren KG. Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2002. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Hum Reprod. 2006 Jul;21(7):1680-97. doi: 10.1093/humrep/del075. Epub 2006 Apr 3.
• Background Baird DT, Collins J, Egozcue J, Evers LH, Gianaroli L, Leridon H, Sunde A, Templeton A, Van Steirteghem A, Cohen J, Crosignani PG, Devroey P, Diedrich K, Fauser BC, Fraser L, Glasier A, Liebaers I, Mautone G, Penney G, Tarlatzis B; ESHRE Capri Workshop Group. Fertility and ageing. Hum Reprod Update. 2005 May-Jun;11(3):261-76. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmi006. Epub 2005 Apr 14.
• Background Bhattacharya S. Effective use of assisted reproduction. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2003 May;6 Suppl 1:S60-2. doi: 10.1080/1464770312331369283.
• Background Engel JB, Schultze-Mosgau A, Diedrich K. Five years' clinical use of GnRH antagonists: evaluation of safety and allergic potential. Reprod Biomed Online. 2005 Jun;10 Suppl 3:61-5. doi: 10.1016/s1472-6483(11)60392-1.
• Background Engmann L, Shaker A, White E, Bekir JS, Jacobs HS, Tan SL. Local side effects of subcutaneous and intramuscular urinary gonadotropins for ovarian stimulation in in vitro fertilization: a prospective, randomized study. Fertil Steril. 1998 May;69(5):836-40. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(98)00043-0.
• Background Skakkebaek NE, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Main KM. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome: an increasingly common developmental disorder with environmental aspects. Hum Reprod. 2001 May;16(5):972-8. doi: 10.1093/humrep/16.5.972.
• Background Blomberg Jensen M, Jorgensen A, Nielsen JE, Steinmeyer A, Leffers H, Juul A, Rajpert-De Meyts E. Vitamin D metabolism and effects on pluripotency genes and cell differentiation in testicular germ cell tumors in vitro and in vivo. Neoplasia. 2012 Oct;14(10):952-63. doi: 10.1593/neo.121164.
• Background Jeong JH, Jin JS, Kim HN, Kang SM, Liu JC, Lengner CJ, Otto F, Mundlos S, Stein JL, van Wijnen AJ, Lian JB, Stein GS, Choi JY. Expression of Runx2 transcription factor in non-skeletal tissues, sperm and brain. J Cell Physiol. 2008 Nov;217(2):511-7. doi: 10.1002/jcp.21524.
• Background Cummings SR, San Martin J, McClung MR, Siris ES, Eastell R, Reid IR, Delmas P, Zoog HB, Austin M, Wang A, Kutilek S, Adami S, Zanchetta J, Libanati C, Siddhanti S, Christiansen C; FREEDOM Trial. Denosumab for prevention of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. N Engl J Med. 2009 Aug 20;361(8):756-65. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0809493. Epub 2009 Aug 11.
• Background Anastasilakis AD, Toulis KA, Polyzos SA, Anastasilakis CD, Makras P. Long-term treatment of osteoporosis: safety and efficacy appraisal of denosumab. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2012;8:295-306. doi: 10.2147/TCRM.S24239. Epub 2012 Jun 19.
• Background Kearns AE, Khosla S, Kostenuik PJ. Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand and osteoprotegerin regulation of bone remodeling in health and disease. Endocr Rev. 2008 Apr;29(2):155-92. doi: 10.1210/er.2007-0014. Epub 2007 Dec 5.
• Background Khosla S. Minireview: the OPG/RANKL/RANK system. Endocrinology. 2001 Dec;142(12):5050-5. doi: 10.1210/endo.142.12.8536.
• Background Makras P, Polyzos SA, Papatheodorou A, Kokkoris P, Chatzifotiadis D, Anastasilakis AD. Parathyroid hormone changes following denosumab treatment in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013 Oct;79(4):499-503. doi: 10.1111/cen.12188. Epub 2013 Apr 1.
• Background Anastasilakis AD, Toulis KA, Polyzos SA, Terpos E. RANKL inhibition for the management of patients with benign metabolic bone disorders. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2009 Aug;18(8):1085-102. doi: 10.1517/13543780903048929.
• Background Schwarz P, Rasmussen AQ, Kvist TM, Andersen UB, Jorgensen NR. Paget's disease of the bone after treatment with Denosumab: a case report. Bone. 2012 May;50(5):1023-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2012.01.020.
• Background Polyzos SA, Singhellakis PN, Naot D, Adamidou F, Malandrinou FC, Anastasilakis AD, Polymerou V, Kita M. Denosumab treatment for juvenile Paget's disease: results from two adult patients with osteoprotegerin deficiency ("Balkan" mutation in the TNFRSF11B gene). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Mar;99(3):703-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-3762. Epub 2014 Jan 16.
• Background Papapoulos S, Chapurlat R, Libanati C, Brandi ML, Brown JP, Czerwinski E, Krieg MA, Man Z, Mellstrom D, Radominski SC, Reginster JY, Resch H, Roman Ivorra JA, Roux C, Vittinghoff E, Austin M, Daizadeh N, Bradley MN, Grauer A, Cummings SR, Bone HG. Five years of denosumab exposure in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: results from the first two years of the FREEDOM extension. J Bone Miner Res. 2012 Mar;27(3):694-701. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.1479.
• Background Boonen S, Adachi JD, Man Z, Cummings SR, Lippuner K, Torring O, Gallagher JC, Farrerons J, Wang A, Franchimont N, San Martin J, Grauer A, McClung M. Treatment with denosumab reduces the incidence of new vertebral and hip fractures in postmenopausal women at high risk. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jun;96(6):1727-36. doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2784. Epub 2011 Mar 16.
• Wriedt EB, Jorsal MJ, Yahyavi SK, Juel Mortensen L, Eldrup E, Juul A, Holt R, Blomberg Jensen M. Effects of a single-dose denosumab on glucose and lipid homeostasis in young infertile men. Endocrine. 2026 Jun 25;91(1):215. doi: 10.1007/s12020-026-04683-8.
• Yahyavi SK, Holt R, Juel Mortensen L, Boisen IM, Arting LB, Jorgensen A, Juul A, Blomberg Jensen M. Effect of a single-dose denosumab on mineral homeostasis in infertile men: insights from a pilot intervention study and a randomized controlled trial. BMC Med. 2025 Mar 7;23(1):145. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-03958-7.

Drugs

Indications