BioPortfolio, May 20, 2016 — The first buffered alendronate designed to minimise gastrointestinal side effects commonly associated with traditional alendronate treatment
Huddersfield, 19 May, 2016, Internis Pharmaceuticals Ltd: Binosto, the first buffered alendronate (alendronate acid 70mg); is now available on prescription as an effervescent tablet. Binosto has been specifically designed to overcome the serious difficulties patients have with gastrointestinal side effects of traditional alendronates and to offer patients an effective alternative, which helps them to remain compliant with their treatment. Binosto dissolves to create a pleasant tasting strawberry-flavoured liquid formulation, taken just once a week, to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.
Referred to as the ‘silent disease’, osteoporosis is estimated to affect more than three million people in the UK, most of whom are only aware they have it when they break a bone. Currently, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends alendronate as an option for the prevention of first fractures in a number of groups who have a high risk of fracture. Long-term treatment with alendronate is effective at improving bone mineral density (from 2.4% to 8.8%) and reducing the risk of fracture (from 12% to 49%).
Unfortunately, compliance with alendronate tablets is poor; nine out of ten patients who are taking traditional alendronate are unable to continue taking the tablets due to side effects. Of more concern, poor adherence has been estimated to result in a 37% higher risk of hospitalisation and a 17% higher risk of fracture. Modelling predicts that if adherence to alendronates can be improved this will lead to fewer fractures for patients.
Supplied by Internis, a leading UK bone health company, Binosto’s novel, buffered alendronate formulation completely dissolves in just 120ml of plain water and helps to overcome the difficulties in swallowing pills that some patients experience. Importantly, Binosto’s buffered formulation has been shown to increase the pH of the patient’s stomach, minimising the gastrointestinal side effects that are common with these medicines. Internis believes that patients will find Binosto easier to take than alendronate tablets and therefore be likely to adhere to their medication for longer. This, in turn, could help to reduce the number of fractures seen in patients who cannot tolerate traditional alendronate tablets. Internis will be closely monitoring prescription data to confirm that patients adhere to Binosto for longer.
Dr Andrew Pearson, Consultant Radiologist, NHS Borders, commented:
“I believe that, over time, data will show that Binosto’s novel alendronate formulation helps to improve the longterm tolerability of alendronate and helps to ensure that more women with osteoporosis are properly treated. This could result in fewer fractures, improved patient quality of life and lower overall costs. I am very excited by Binosto’s potential.”
Chief Operating Officer of Internis, Paul Tredwell commented: “Following recent research on over 1.6 million prescriptions, we know that patients don’t comply with their traditional bisphosphonate tablets, with 80% of patients coming off treatment in the first year and over 1 in 3 patients not picking up a second prescription. This compliance issue is, in part, due to the gastrointestinal side effects, which are well known to be associated with bisphosphonates like alendronate. With the launch of Binosto and its novel, buffered formulation, Internis aims to increase this compliance, which, in the long term, will result in fewer fractures and a reduction in associated costs to the NHS. This impact will be more significant as our ageing population grows therefore, it is essential that patients have access to effective treatments that they are able to take over many years.