Procter and Gamble confirms release of phase III results for risedronate

Procter and Gamble has confirmed the release of results from a phase III clinical trial on risedronate by presenting them at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) 29th Annual Meeting.

The trial was intended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a once monthly dosing regimen of risedronate 150mg to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis.

A non-inferiority study was carried out comparing risedronate 150mg once monthly to risedronate 5mg daily with the result being that there were similar increases in bone mineral density (BMD) for patients taking either the monthly or daily dosing regimens.

The tolerability and safety profiles were also similar for the monthly and daily dosing regimens of risedronate.

Michael McClung, founding director of the Oregon Osteoporosis Centre in Portland, Oregon, illustrated that risedronate had already been approved as reducing the risk of both spinal and nonspinal fractures.

However he went on to indicate: “For patients who prefer less frequent dosing, risedronate 150 mg, if approved, would provide the convenience of a once monthly dosing option.”

OnMedica reports today that the British Orthopaedic Association has called for osteoporosis treatment to be included in the GP contract to help stem the “epidemic” of the disease.