Dong-A ST to market Sanofi's osteoporosis treatment exclusively

Dong-A ST said that it would exclusively sell and distribute Sanofi's osteoporosis treatment Actonel (ingredient name: risedronate) 35mg, EC 35mg, and 150mg to hospitals and clinics in Korea.

Dong-A ST will exclusively market Sanofi’s osteoporosis treatment Actonel in Korea.

According to the company, Actonel is a bisphosphonate-type bone resorption inhibitor.

After the body absorbs the drug, it binds to hydroxyapatite in the bone and inhibits bone resorption by osteoclasts, thereby improving bone density and reducing the risk of fracture by strengthening the bone quality, the company said. Compared to competitive products, the drug has proven effective in reducing the relative risk reduction (RRR) of osteoporotic fractures from six months after taking the treatment and reducing the risk of vertebral, hip, and non-vertebral fractures.

It also has a low incidence of gastrointestinal side effects, the company added.

Regarding the effect of the treatment by dosage, the company stressed that patients could take Actonel 35mg 30 minutes before or two hours after a meal once a week. It is effective in treating and preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and osteoporosis in men.

Actonel EC 35mg is an enteric-use tablet and is effective in treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women when taken once a week regardless of meals. In comparison, Actonel 150mg effectively treats osteoporosis in postmenopausal women when taken 30 minutes before or 2 hours after meals once a month.

The company has a bone formation accelerator called Teribone in its product lineup and expects the new drug will create marketing synergy by providing various treatment options for medical professionals.

"Actonel has proven their effectiveness and safety backed by steady sales since receiving approval in Korea as an original risedronate treatment," a company official said. "The company plans to expand market share in the local osteoporosis treatment market with Actonel EC Tablet 35mg, highly preferred by patients as they can take the treatment regardless of before or after meals, and Teribone."

IQVIA, a drug market research company, estimated the local osteoporosis treatment market size at 248 billion won ($208.3 million) last year.