Prediction of denosumab effects on bone remodeling: A combined pharmacokinetics and finite element modeling

Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits receptor activator of nuclearfactor-kappa B ligand (RANKL). This key mediator of osteoclast activities has been shown to inhibit osteoclast differentiation and hence, to increase bone mineral density (BMD) in treated patients. In the current study, we develop a computer model to simulate the effects of denosumab treatments (dose and duration) on the proximal femur bone remodeling process quantified by the variation in proximal femur BMD. The simulation model is based on a coupled pharmacokinetics model of denosumab with a pharmacodynamics model consisting of a mechanobiological finite element remodeling model which describes the activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. The mechanical behavior of bone is described by taking into account the bone material fatigue damage accumulation and mineralization. A coupled strain-damage stimulus function is proposed which controls the level of bone cell autocrine and paracrine factors. The cellular behavior is based on Komarova et al.׳s (2003) dynamic law which describes the autocrine and paracrine interactions between osteoblasts and osteoclasts and computes cell population dynamics and changes in bone mass at a discrete site of bone remodeling. Therefore, when an external mechanical stress is applied, bone formation and resorption is governed by cell dynamics rather than by adaptive elasticity approaches. The proposed finite element model was implemented in the finite element code Abaqus (UMAT routine). In order to perform a preliminary validation, in vivo human proximal femurs were selected and scanned at two different time intervals (at baseline and at a 36-month interval). Then, a 3D FE model was generated and the denosumab-remodeling algorithm was applied to the scans at t0 simulating daily walking activities for a duration of 36 months. The predicted results (density variation) were compared to existing published ones performed on a human cohort (FREEDOM).