Generic Boniva

The first patent for Boniva (ibandronate sodium) has expired, and now the tablet form of the drug is available in generic form. The injection is still unavailable as a generic. Apotex and Mylan are two of the companies that make generic Boniva.

Generic Boniva: An Overview

Boniva® (ibandronate sodium) is an osteoporosis medication available by prescription. It is part of a group of medications known as bisphosphonates and is approved to prevent and treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
 
Brand-name Boniva is made jointly by GlaxoSmithKline and Roche Laboratories. However, the first patent for this drug has expired, and it is now available in generic form.
 

Availability of Generic Boniva

Generic Boniva is available in one strength -- Ibandronate 150 mg tablets. It is made by manufacturers such as:
 
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Apotex Corporation.
     
Boniva injection is not yet available in generic form.
 

Is Generic Ibandronate as Good as Boniva?

All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns a rating to each one.
 
An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. All of the versions of generic ibandronate currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Boniva.
 
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers, dyes, or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities.
 
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD
 
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