Drug patents in the US a granted for 20 years from the time they are approved. However the dilema for a drug manufacturer is when to file for the patent, as soon as they discover the chemical entity, just before marketing or some time in between. There is always the chance some one will beat them to it, if they wait too long but if they file too soon, the clock starts ticking and by time the drug undergoes all testing phases, years may have pasted and that therefore cuts back on the number of years they are protected by the patent. It is not unusual for a company to get patents on several aspects of the finished product in an attempt to prolong their exclusivity and they have often challenged generic drug companies in court when generic companies try to begin producing a generic product or in the extreme even pay the generic company not to produce the generic. Its big money on the major products, could mean millions for every day they have the exclusive marketing
When the patent expires on a drug it becomes a "generic", meaning that anyone anywhere can make, use, sell and import the identical drug in that country without needing a license from the patent owners.
However, they cannot use the "trademarks" of the original drugs on the products without a license.
Patents typically expire after 20 years.
2012.
2019
2017.
2020
When does the patent expire for abilify
I understand Shire bought up all generic manufacturers of Pentasa generic, since tha patent expired. Is that true?
2020
2019
May 2014.
April 2017.
November 2021.
The patent expires in 2017. You don't have all that long to wait.
2018 in the U.S.
Yes. There is a final date on which patent rights eventually do expire, but you will have to do your own research on the patent in question.
Supposedly it expired decades ago...