Teijin Pharma Limited, a global specialty health-care company, has launched Bonalon Bag for I.V. Infusion 900 µg (Alendronate sodium hydrate) in Japan as the nation’s first intravenous drip-form drug for osteoporosis.

The launch of the drug, which is administered once every four weeks, will enable Teijin Pharma, a leader in Japan’s osteoporosis treatments market, to strengthen its commitment to improving the quality of life of patients. Teijin Pharma expects the drug to generate annual sales of over 7 billion yen in the foreseeable future.

Bonalon Bag for I.V. Infusion 900 µg, Japan’s first intravenous drip formulation for osteoporosis, is based on the oral bisphosphonate drug Bonalon, but does not impose the administration restrictions of oral drugs. In addition, while Bonalon is administered orally once a day or once a week, Bonalon Bag for I.V. Infusion 900 µg can be administered once every four weeks, when the patient visits their clinics, making it easier for them to continue taking the medication. Also, whereas Bonalon as an oral drug is accompanied by the risk of disorders in digestive organs due to the drug coming into contact with these organs, the administration of the drug as a drip infusion avoids this risk.

Japan has an estimated 11 million osteoporosis patients, mainly elderly women. In addition to increasing the risk of proximal femoral fractures, a direct cause of elderly people becoming bedridden or increased risk of death, osteoporosis also can have various harmful effects on ambulatory ability and visceral and respiratory functions. Moreover, evidence is increasingly linking the disease to lifestyle diseases such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes. In view of the aging of Japanese society, interest in osteoporosis treatment is increasing.

Bonalon, a bisphosphonate drug with an outstanding capacity to inhibit bone resorption, has been confirmed to increase the bone density of osteoporosis patients and reduce the occurrence of proximal femoral fractures. In the “Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis - 2011 Version,” which was presented at the Annual Meeting of Japan Osteoporosis Society in November of last year, Bonalon was highly evaluated for its potential effects to reduce the risk of fractures such as proximal femoral fractures. In addition, efficacy and safety were proven in a long-term administration study overseas, in which patients used the drug continuously for over a decade.

In the case of most orally administered bisphosphonate drugs, however, patients are advised that after rising and taking the drug with a glass of water, they should not lie down for 30 minutes after administration, nor drink or eat during that time. The inconvenience of these restrictions has led to some patients discontinuing their use of the medication.

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