A fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody directed against the human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) with potential antineoplastic activity. Rilotumumab binds to and neutralizes HGF, preventing the binding of HGF to its receptor c-Met and so c-Met activation; inhibition of c-Met-mediated signal transduction may result in the induction of apoptosis in cells expressing c-Met. c-Met (HGF receptor or HGFR), a receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed or mutated in a variety of epithelial cancer cell types, plays a key role in cancer cell growth, survival, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.