We evaluated an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) developed for the measurement of urinary free deoxypyridinoline (DPD). The new DPD method by CLIA is based on the competition of DPD with particle-bound pyridinoline for a limited amount of monoclonal mouse anti-DPD antibody. Total imprecision (CV) was 3.2–9.0% at 30–270 nmol/L. Regression analysis of urinary DPD concentration (second morning-void) measured by CLIA (y) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for adult volunteers (n = 449) with and without bone disease revealed a best fit equation of: y = 1.08 ± 0.03x − 1.15 ± 0.98 nmol/L (r = 0.964, Sy‖x = 14 nmol/L). CLIA and EIA methods were correlated with HPLC measurement of urinary free DPD (r = 0.846 and 0.871, respectively). For healthy adults, the creatinine-normalized excretion of DPD (mean ± SD) measured by CLIA for 61 men (4.1 ± 1.2 μmol DPD/mol creatinine) and 76 premenopausal women (5.3 ± 1.8 μmol DPD/mol creatinine) did not differ significantly (P >0.05) from DPD excretion measured by EIA, and both immunoassays showed a significant gender difference (P