Patent
Expiration Dates for Common Brand-Name Drugs
The
following expiration dates are subject to change. Due to several
issues regarding patent protection, generic versions are not always
available immediately after a patent expires.
|
Drug
|
Patent
Expiration Date
|
|
Axid
(nizatidine)
|
April
2002
|
|
Claritin
(loratadine)
|
December
2002
|
|
Celexa
(citalopram)
|
July
2003
|
|
Cipro
(ciprofloxacin)
|
December
2003
|
|
Cytovene
(ganciclovir)
|
June
2003
|
|
DynaCirc
(isradipine)
|
December
2003
|
|
Evista
(raloxifene)
|
December
2002
|
|
Flonase
(fluticasone)
|
November
2003
|
|
Flovent
(fluticasone)
|
November
2003
|
|
Floxin
(ofloxacin)
|
September
2003
|
|
Glucophage
XL (metformin extended-release)
|
October
2003
|
|
Glucovance
(glyburide and metformin)
|
June
2003
|
|
Lotensin
(benazepril)
|
August
2003
|
|
Nasonex
(mometasone)
|
December
2002
|
|
Plavix
(clopidogrel)
|
July
2003
|
|
Relafen
(nabumetone)
|
December
2002
|
|
Requip
(ropinirole)
|
December
2002
|
|
Rhinocort
Aqua (budesonide)
|
October
2002
|
|
Serzone
(nefazodone)
|
March
2003
|
|
Topamax
(topiramate)
|
September
2003
|
|
Ultram
(tramadol)
|
June
2003
|
Generics Recently Released or Coming Soon
Glucophage
(metformin)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Used
to lower blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes
(also known as adult onset diabetes).
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
expired in September 2000. Generic
versions available now.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
If
you currently take Glucophage or Glucophage XR, ask your doctor
whether the generic form is right for you.
|
Mevacor (lovastatin)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Used
to lower cholesterol.
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
expired in December 2001. Generic versions
available now.
|
|
Similar
Drugs:
|
Lipitor,
Zocor, Lescol, Pravachol.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
If
you take one of these cholesterol-lowering drugs, ask your
doctor whether the generic version of Mevacor is appropriate
for your needs.
|
Pepcid (famotidine)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Used
for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD).
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
expired in April 2001.
Generic versions available now.
|
|
Similar
Drugs:
|
Zantac
(generic available), Tagamet (generic available), Axid.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
If
you currently take Pepcid or Axid, talk to your doctor about
generic alternatives.
|
Prilosec (omeprazole)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Used
for GERD and peptic ulcer disease.
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
was scheduled to expire in October 2001. Prilosec’s manufacturer
is currently challenging the patent expiration date.
|
|
Similar
Drugs:
|
Aciphex,
Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
If
you take Prilosec or the similar drugs above, stay tuned.
If a generic version is produced, talk to your doctor about
the possibility of switching.
|
Prinivil (lisinopril)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Used
for hypertension, coronary heart disease, congestive heart
failure, and kidney protection in people with diabetes.
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
will expire in June 2002. Generic versions should be available
shortly thereafter.
|
|
Similar
Drugs:
|
Zestril,
Lotensin, Monopril, Univasc, Accupril, Altace, Mavik.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
If
you take any of these drugs, ask your doctor if the generic
version of Prinivil is right for you.
|
Prozac (fluoxetine)
|
Common
Uses:
|
Prozac
is an antidepressant drug.
|
|
Status:
|
Patent
expired in August 2001.
Generic versions available now.
|
|
Similar
Drugs:
|
Zoloft,
Paxil, Luvox, Celexa.
|
|
Recommendation:
|
While
switching antidepressant therapy may not be appropriate for
everyone, you may want ask your doctor whether the generic
version of Prozac is right for you.
In
the three months after Prozac’s patent expired, the generic
version was approved by physicians and patients for over 75%
of the fluoxetine prescriptions filled by Express Scripts’
Mail Service Pharmacy.
|
|
