BRIEF—Romosozumab in osteoporosis: considerable added benefit for women after menopause, says IQWiG

The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has examined in an early benefit assessment whether romosozumab offers an added benefit for the affected women in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy.

Available on the German market since March 2020, the USA’s Amgen and Belgian biotech UCB won approval in Europe in December 2019 for Evenity (romosozumab), as an option for severe osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture.

Overall, according to the IQWiG’s findings, there are only positive effects from treatment with romosozumab followed by treatment with alendronic acid in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy (treatment with alendronic acid alone). In particular, administration of romosozumab reduces both the risk of vertebral fractures and the risk of other typical fractures.

In summary, the IQWiG sees an indication of considerable added benefit for postmenopausal women with advanced osteoporosis at high risk of fracture if they are treated with romosozumab (followed by alendronic acid).