Health Canada Approves Amgen's Xgeva™ for Reducing Risk of Developing Skeletal-Related Events in Patients with Bone Metastases from Solid Tumours

Amgen AMGN Canada today announced that Health Canada has approved XGEVA™ (denosumab), a RANK Ligand inhibitor, for reducing the risk of developing skeletal-related events pathological fracture, radiation to bone, spinal cord compression or surgery to bone] in adults with bone metastases from solid tumours.(i) XGEVA is not indicated for reducing the risk of developing skeletal-related events in patients with multiple myeloma.(ii) "The approval of XGEVA is an important development in the care of patients suffering from advanced breast, prostate, non-small cell lung and other solid cancers to reduce the risk of bone complications from bone metastases," said Dr. Fred Saad from the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal. "I am hopeful that XGEVA will be incorporated into clinical practice and will play an important role in reducing the incidence and impact of debilitating bone complications." Bone metastases, the spread of cancer from its site of origin to the bones, are a serious concern for patients with advanced cancer and present a considerable burden to the Canadian healthcare system. Sixty-five to 75 per cent of people with advanced breast and prostate cancer develop bone metastases throughout the course of their disease.(iii)( )Many of these patients remain untreated for bone metastases and their resulting complications. Bones weakened by metastases can lead to fractures and compression of the spinal cord and necessitate procedures like major surgery and radiation. The primary goal of treatment for bone metastases is to prevent the occurrence of debilitating and costly bone complications, which can disrupt a patient's life and cause disability, pain and hospitalization.