Use of vitamin D-derivatives in the treatment of osteoporosis and related bone disorders, as well as novel vitamin D3-derivatives

A method for the treatment of osteoporosis comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of the formula Ia

• wherein R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, represent hydrogen or a residue after removal of 1 hydrogen atom from a straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, C1–C6-hydrocarbon;
• or R1 and R2, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached (marked with an asterisk in formula Ia), bearing the group X, form a C3–C8 carbocyclic ring;
• Q represents a diradical residue after removal of 2 hydrogen atoms from a straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated C1–C8-hydrocarbon;
• R1, R2 and/or Q is optionally substituted with one or more deuterium or fluorine atoms;
• m=0, 1 or 2;
• and n=1.

A method for the treatment of osteoporosis comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula I

• wherein
• X represents hydrogen or hydroxy;
• Y represents oxygen or sulphur or oxidized sulphur selected from the groups S(O) and S(O2);
• R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, represent hydrogen or a residue after removal of 1 hydrogen atom from a straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, C1–C6-hydrocarbon;
• or R1 and R2, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached (marked with an asterisk in formula I), bearing the group X, form a C3–C8 carbocyclic ring;
• Q represents a diradical residue after removal of 2 hydrogen atoms from a straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated C1–C8-hydrocarbon;
• R3 represents hydrogen or a residue after removal of 1 hydrogen atom from a straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated C1–C6-hydrocarbon;
• R1, R2 and/or Q is optionally substituted with one or more deuterium or fluorine atoms;
• and
• n is 0 or 1;
• and derivatives of the compounds of formula I in which one or more hydroxy groups have been transformed into —O-acyl or —O-glycosyl groups, or a phosphate ester, such masked groups being hydrolyzable in vivo.