Inclusion Criteria:

• A histologically confirmed diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma with none, one or, at maximum, 2 of the following risk factors:

  1. Karnofsky performance status less than 80%
  2. Lactate dehydrogenase greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
  3. Hemoglobin less than lower limit of normal
  4. Absence of nephrectomy
• Patients must have evidence of at least one cancer-related bone lesion. If diagnosis of bone metastases in bone scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-QuickScan is unclear radiographic (X-ray, computed tomography [CT] or MRI) confirmation of at least one focus is required.
• ECOG performance status of 0, 1 or 2.
• Life expectancy of ≥ 6 months
• Adequate liver function - serum total bilirubin concentration less than 1.5 x upper limit of normal value

Exclusion Criteria:

• Bisphosphonate treatment within 6 months before study start
• Bone pain which requires strong narcotic therapy with centrally acting analgesic agents.
• Previous radiation therapy to bone (including therapeutic radioisotopes such as strontium 89) within 3 months prior to Visit 2.
• Abnormal renal function as evidenced by a calculated creatinine clearance < 30 ml/minute. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) is calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula: CrCl = [140-age (years)] x weight (kg) {x 0.85 for female patients} [72 x serum creatinine (mg/dL)]
• Corrected (adjusted for serum albumin) serum calcium concentration < 8.0 mg/dl (2.00 mmol/L) or ≥ 12.0 mg/dl (3.00 mmol/L)
• Patients with clinically symptomatic brain metastases
• History of diseases with influence on bone metabolism such as Paget's disease and primary hyperparathyroidism
• Pregnancy and lactation
• Women of childbearing potential not on a medically recognized form of contraception (i.e., oral contraceptives or implants, intrauterine device [IUD], vaginal diaphragm or sponge, or condom with spermicide)
• Use of other investigational drugs (drugs not marketed for any indication) within 30 days prior to the date of study inclusion
• Current active dental problems including infection of the teeth or jawbone (maxilla or mandibular); dental or fixture trauma, or a current or prior diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), of exposed bone in the mouth, or of slow healing after dental procedures.
• Recent (within 6 weeks) or planned dental or jaw surgery (e.g. extraction, implants)

Other protocol-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria may apply.