OREANDA-NEWS.  January 18, 2012. Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced that it has received approval in Japan to market RANMARK (denosumab), a treatment for bone complications stemming from multiple myeloma and bone metastases from solid tumors.

Denosumab is the world’s first fully human monoclonal antibody to target RANK Ligand, an essential mediator of osteoclast formation, function and survival approved for therapeutic use. Daiichi Sankyo has been working on denosumab since 2007 when it licensed the rights from Amgen to develop and market this antibody in Japan.

Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca KK (an affiliate of AstraZeneca PLC) entered into a co-promotion agreement in Japan for RANMARK on May 24, 2011.

With RANMARK, Daiichi Sankyo aims to benefit patients, their families, and medical professionals by augmenting the few available therapeutic alternatives for treating bone disorders stemming from multiple myeloma and bone metastases from solid tumors with a new and effective treatment option.