Ibandronic acid 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 ...

medication used in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and metastasis-associated skeletal fractures in people with cancer. It may also be used to treat hypercalcemia (elevated blood

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

levels). It is typically formulated as its

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

ibandronate sodium. It was patented in 1986 by

Boehringer Mannheim 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 approved for medical use in 1996.

Medical uses

Ibandronate is indicated for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. In May 2003, the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...

(FDA) approved Ibandronate as a daily treatment for post-menopausal osteoporosis. The basis for this approval was a three-year,

randomized In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Individual ra ...

double-blind In a blind or blinded experiment, information which may influence the participants of the experiment is withheld until after the experiment is complete. Good blinding can reduce or eliminate experimental biases that arise from a participants' expec ...

placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general, placebos can af ...

-controlled

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal ...

women with post-menopausal osteoporosis. Every participant also received daily oral doses of

and 400IUs nternational unitsof

vitamin D Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and many other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D3 (c ...

. At the study's conclusion, both doses significantly reduced the occurrence risk of new vertebral fractures by 50–52 percent when compared to the effects of the placebo drug. Ibandronate is efficacious for the prevention of metastasis-related bone fractures in multiple myeloma, breast cancer, and certain other cancers.

Adverse effects

In 2008, the U.S

(FDA) issued a communication warning of the possibility of severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint or muscle pain. A study conducted by the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research concluded that long-term use of

bisphosphonates 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 ...

, including Boniva, may increase the risk of a rare but serious fracture of the femur. The drug also has been associated with

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. Oste ...

, relatively rare but serious condition.

Pharmacology

Brand names

Ibandronic acid is marketed under the trade names Boniva in the US, Bondronat in Europe, Bonviva in Asia, Bandrone in India, Ibandrix in Ecuador, Adronil in Pakistan, Bondrova in Bangladesh and Bonprove in Egypt, Fosfonat in Mexico.

References

External links

* {{Portal bar , Medicine Amines Bisphosphonates Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase inhibitors Hoffmann-La Roche brands Genentech brands GSK plc brands