Adverse effect · Abaloparatide

How common is hypercalcaemia with Abaloparatide?

A
Grade A — established in humansSame RCT, prespecified safety endpoint · effect size: small · adverse
Short answerEstablished in humans. Same RCT, prespecified safety endpoint point the same way: a small effect. High blood calcium in 3.4% on abaloparatide against 6.4% on teriparatide — about half the rate, and the main claimed advantage over the older drug.

What the studies show

High blood calcium in 3.4% on abaloparatide against 6.4% on teriparatide — about half the rate, and the main claimed advantage over the older drug.

“Incidence of hypercalcemia was lower with abaloparatide (3.4%) vs teriparatide (6.4%) (risk difference [RD], −2.96 [95%CI, −5.12 to −0.87]; P = .006).”

Verbatim, from the abstractMiller PD, Hattersley G, Riis BJ, et al. Effect of abaloparatide vs placebo on new vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a randomized clinical trial (ACTIVE). JAMA, 2016;316:722–733

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

  1. 1
    Miller PD, Hattersley G, Riis BJ, et al. Effect of abaloparatide vs placebo on new vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a randomized clinical trial (ACTIVE).JAMA, 2016;316:722–7332,463 women, 18 months; abaloparatide 80 µg vs placebo vs open-label teriparatide. Fracture percentages are in the paper's table, not the abstract.

In context

Abaloparatide is a 34-amino-acid analogue of parathyroid-hormone-related protein, given as a daily injection for osteoporosis at high fracture risk. In the ACTIVE trial, 2,463 postmenopausal women were randomised to abaloparatide, placebo or open-label teriparatide for 18 months; abaloparatide reduced new vertebral and non-vertebral fractures against placebo and caused less hypercalcaemia than teriparatide. Approved in the US since 2017 and the EU since 2022.

Abaloparatide is approved (rx). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Abaloparatide proven to cause hypercalcaemia?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: Same RCT, prespecified safety endpoint. LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
High blood calcium in 3.4% on abaloparatide against 6.4% on teriparatide — about half the rate, and the main claimed advantage over the older drug.
Is Abaloparatide approved for this?
Abaloparatide is an approved medicine (Approved (Rx)); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for Abaloparatide

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 23 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →