Roche's Bondronat demonstrates safety

Swiss drug major Roche says that new trial data of its metastatic bone disease treatment Bondronat (ibandronate), show it produces less kidney damage than Novartis' competitor product Zometa (zoledronic acid) in the treatment of multiple myeloma patients with bone lesions. The announcement was made at the 8th Bisphosphonates workshop held in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this month.

The results are derived from an international Phase III study of the compound's efficacy in cancer patients with bone metastases, which was led by Raoul Bergner from the Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen in Germany. The study showed that patients receiving Bondronat were three times less likely to suffer renal impairment than those treated with zoledronic acid, based on serum creatinine levels (10.8% and 39.1%). In addition, the level of renal impairment was significantly lower for those taking the drug in comparison with zoledronic acid (0.87 events and 2.65 events per person, respectively).

Dr Bergner commented that "these data confirm the findings from previous studies and again highlight Bondronat's renal safety advantages over other bisphosphonates. They are especially promising given the particular risk of kidney complications faced by multiple myeloma patients."