Generic Actonel With Calcium

A patent currently prevents any generic Actonel With Calcium from being manufactured in the United States. The earliest date that a generic version of the drug could become available is November 2011, but that date may be extended due to lawsuits or other factors. Once the patent expires and any lawsuits are resolved, generic Actonel With Calcium will likely become available.

Generic Actonel With Calcium: An Overview

Actonel® With Calcium (risedronate and calcium) is a prescription medication used for osteoporosis. It contains two medications: risedronate (a bisphosphonate) and calcium carbonate. The medication is approved to prevent and treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
 
Actonel With Calcium is made by sanofi-aventis. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Actonel With Calcium from being manufactured in the United States.
 

When Will Generic Actonel With Calcium Be Available?

At this time, sanofi-aventis has the exclusive rights to market Actonel With Calcium until at least November 2011. This is the earliest possible date that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, other circumstances could come up to extend the exclusivity period beyond 2011. This could include such things as lawsuits or other patents for specific Actonel With Calcium uses. There have already been several lawsuits examining the issue of Actonel patents, and more lawsuits are likely to occur. Once the patent expires and any lawsuits are resolved, several companies will likely begin manufacturing generic Actonel With Calcium.
 

Is Risedronate and Calcium the Same as Generic Actonel With Calcium?

No -- risedronate and calcium are the active ingredients in Actonel With Calcium, but are not a generic version of it. Oftentimes, the active ingredient of any drug is referred to as the "generic name." The generic name is different from a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off-patent and another company besides the original manufacturer must make the product.
 
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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