Teva launches generic osteoporosis drug

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) has launched the generic equivalent to 5 mg, 30 mg, and 35 mg Actonel (risedronate sodium) tablets, in the US.

Teva was first to file, making the product eligible for 180 days of market exclusivity. Risedronate sodium tablets, which help increase bone mass and reduce the chance of having a spinal or non-spinal fracture, are used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. Risedronate sodium tablets are also used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in either men or women who are taking corticosteroid medicines, and to treat Paget’s disease of the bone.

Risedronate sodium tablets, USP are the second approved product to treat osteoporosis in Teva’s generic portfolio. Some 54 million Americans have low bone mass and osteoporosis, a condition that causes the bones to become weak and brittle. Anyone can develop osteoporosis but studies suggest it is most common in older women and patients taking specific medications. The new drug is part of Teva’s focus on women’s health.

Actonel tablets marketed by Actavis had annual sales of about $157 million in the US, according to IMS data as of December 2014.