Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) has launched Benet tablets 75 mg, a once-monthly formulation of risedronate sodium hydrate (generic name) for the treatment of osteoporosis in Japan.

Risedronate sodium hydrate is a bisphosphonate agent, which is currently approved and marketed for the treatment of osteoporosis in about 100 countries. In Japan, once-daily and once-weekly formulations were launched in 2002 and 2007, respectively. A once-monthly formulation was already approved and has been marketed since 2008 in many countries outside Japan.

With less frequent administration than a once-daily or a once-weekly formulation, the once-monthly formulation is expected to improve adherence in patients. Risedronate sodium hydrate will become the only bisphosphonate agent with three formulations, once-daily, once-weekly and once-monthly for oral administration, in Japan. A variety of formulations will provide a wide range of choices for healthcare providers and enable them to select the formulation that best suits individual patient’s lifestyle.

“The number of osteoporosis patients in Japan is increasing due to ageing population and estimated to reach 16 million in 2030,” said Masato Iwasaki, director and senior vice president, Pharmaceutical Marketing Division of Takeda. “ Benet is supported by robust scientific evidence both in Japan and abroad and positioned as one of the first-line therapies for the treatment of osteoporosis in the Guidelines on the treatment of osteoporosis in Japan. With the launch of the once-monthly formulation, a wide range of treatment options has been available, which allows for individual patient’s lifestyle-based treatment selection. We believe that we can further contribute to the improvement of adherence in patients.”