Risedronic acid, often used as its sodium salt risedronate sodium, is a

bisphosphonate Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone density, used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases. They are the most commonly prescribed drugs used to treat osteoporosis. They are called bisphosphonates because they ...

. It slows down the cells which break down bone. It's used to treat or prevent

osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility, and consequent increase in fracture risk. It is the most common reason for a broken bone ...

, and treat

Paget's disease of bone Paget's disease of bone (commonly known as Paget's disease or, historically, osteitis deformans) is a condition involving cellular remodeling and deformity of one or more bones. The affected bones show signs of dysregulated bone remodeling at the ...

. It is taken

by mouth Oral administration is a route of administration where a substance is taken through the mouth. Per os abbreviated to P.O. is sometimes used as a direction for medication to be taken orally. Many medications are taken orally because they are i ...

. It was patented in 1984 and approved for medical use in 1998.

Pharmacology

Society and culture

Brand names

It is produced and marketed by

Warner Chilcott Warner Chilcott (formerly Galen) was a company in the pharmaceutical industry based in Rockaway, New Jersey. It was primarily focused on women’s healthcare and dermatology. On October 1, 2013, the company was acquired by Actavis (now Allergan). ...

Sanofi-Aventis Sanofi S.A. is a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris, France. Originally, the corporation was established in 1973 and merged with Synthélabo in 1999 to form Sanofi-Synthélabo. In 2004, Sanofi-Syn ...

, and in Japan by

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

under the trade names Actonel, Atelvia, and Benet. It is also available in a preparation that includes a calcium carbonate supplement, as Actonel with Calcium.

Controversies

In January 2006 P&G and its marketing partner

filed a

Lanham Act The Lanham (Trademark) Act (, codified at et seq. () is the primary federal trademark statute of law in the United States. The Act prohibits a number of activities, including trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and false advertising. ...

false claims lawsuit against rival drugmakers

Roche F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly known as Roche, is a Swiss multinational healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has shares listed on the SIX ...

and

GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc, is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London, England. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. GSK is the ten ...

claiming false advertising about Boniva. The manufacturers of Boniva, a rival bisphosphonate, were accused in the suit of causing a "serious public health risk" through misrepresentation of scientific findings. In a ruling on September 7, 2006, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty rejected P&G's attempted injunction. P&G was criticized for attempting to "preserve its market share by denigrating Boniva". Judge Crotty wrote that "Roche was clearly entitled to respond with its own data, provided that the data was truthfully and accurately presented". In 2006, P&G faced controversy over its handling of clinical research involving risedronate (News Reports and discussion). In common with other

drugs, risedronate appears to be associated with the rare side effect

osteonecrosis of the jaw Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a severe bone disease (osteonecrosis) that affects the jaws (the maxilla and the mandible). Various forms of ONJ have been described since 1861, and a number of causes have been suggested in the literature. Osteo ...

, often preceded by dental procedures inducing trauma to the bone.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Risedronic Acid Bisphosphonates Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase inhibitors Procter & Gamble 3-Pyridyl compounds AbbVie brands Sanofi Takeda Pharmaceutical Company brands