In the late 1990s, bone cell biologists predicted inhibition of RANKL as an important therapeutic target for osteoporosis. The theory has now been confirmed by two studies showing that denosumab reduces fracture risk. This success for translational research should be tempered by awareness of the need for long-term monitoring for adverse effects.
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The author declares that he has received research support from Amgen and Merck, and has participated in a speaker's bureau for Merck, Sanofi-Aventis and Eli-Lilly.
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Ebeling, P. Translational research—preventing fractures with denosumab. Nat Rev Rheumatol 5, 660–661 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2009.234
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2009.234
