NCT03030196

Brief 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.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
95

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2017

Longer than P75 for phase_2

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2017

Completed
19 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

January 20, 2017

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

January 24, 2017

Completed
3.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

January 1, 2021

Completed
2.3 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

June 13, 2023

Status Verified

June 1, 2023

Enrollment Period

4 years

First QC Date

January 20, 2017

Last Update Submit

June 11, 2023

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in semen production (total motile spermatozoa, progressive motile spermatozoa, spermatozoa-count, spermatozoa-concentration)

    semen analysis

    80 days and 160 days after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (18)

  • Change in semen quality (-motility, -morphology of semen volume)

    80 days,160 days after intervention

  • Change in DNA fragmentation (DFI) in spermatozoa

    80 days after intervention

  • Change in serum Inhibin-B concentration

    80 days and 160 days after intervention

  • Change in serum levels of reproductive hormonea (FSH, LH, AMH, testosterone, estradiol inhibin B/FSh ratio and SHBG)

    80 days and 160 days after intervention

  • Change in bone mineral density evaluated by DXA

    80 days and 160 days after intervention

  • +13 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Denosumab

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

subcutaneous injection with 60 mg Denosumab once

Drug: Denosumab

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

subcutaneous injection with NaCl once

Drug: Denosumab

Interventions

NaCl 0.9% injection is used as placebo

Also known as: Prolia
DenosumabPlacebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 64 Years
Sexmale
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Men \> 18 years of age refered due to infertility in need for further investigation with
  • Sperm count \> 0,05 mio./ml.
  • The men have either sperm count \<15 mio./ml or
  • \<40 % motile spermatozoer (A) or
  • \<4 % morphological normale spermatozoer (strict criteria)

You may not qualify if:

  • Men with chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, endocrine diseases requiring treatment, malignant diseases or diseases known to be affected by- or interfere with vitamin D supplements (granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, wegeners, vasculitis as well as inflammatory bowel diseases e.g. chron's disease or ulcerative colitis etc).
  • Men with active or previous malignant disease
  • Any case with indication for tesis biopsy,
  • Serum ionized calcium \< 1,15 mmol/l
  • Total calcium \< 2.14 mmol/l
  • Poor dental status og dental implants
  • Men with obstructive oligospermia or who has been vasectomized
  • Serum Inhibin B \< 30 pg/ml
  • Abnormal karyotype
  • Patients practising excessive exercise

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet

Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark

Location

Related Publications (25)

  • 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.

    PMID: 17376819BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 15192057BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 21397198BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 12099633BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 17634460BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 25069504BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 16585126BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 15831503BACKGROUND
  • Bhattacharya S. Effective use of assisted reproduction. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2003 May;6 Suppl 1:S60-2. doi: 10.1080/1464770312331369283.

    PMID: 12869781BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 23577417BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 9591489BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 11331648BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 23097629BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 18636555BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 19671655BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 22767993BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 18057140BACKGROUND
  • Khosla S. Minireview: the OPG/RANKL/RANK system. Endocrinology. 2001 Dec;142(12):5050-5. doi: 10.1210/endo.142.12.8536.

    PMID: 11713196BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 23452098BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 19558335BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 22586699BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 24433001BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 22113951BACKGROUND
  • 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.

    PMID: 21411557BACKGROUND
  • 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.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Infertility, Male

Interventions

Denosumab

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Genital Diseases, MaleGenital DiseasesUrogenital DiseasesInfertilityMale Urogenital Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Antibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntibodies, MonoclonalAntibodiesImmunoglobulinsImmunoproteinsBlood ProteinsProteinsAmino Acids, Peptides, and ProteinsSerum GlobulinsGlobulins

Study Officials

  • Li J Mortensen, MD

    Rigshospitalet, Dpt. of Growth and Reproduction, section GR 5064, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • martin Blomberg Jensen, MD

    Rigshospitalet, Dpt. of Growth and Reproduction, section GR 5064, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

    STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
MD

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

January 20, 2017

First Posted

January 24, 2017

Study Start

January 1, 2017

Primary Completion

January 1, 2021

Study Completion

May 1, 2023

Last Updated

June 13, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-06

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations