By now, you may have heard of the “Viagra patent”. This is the patent that protects the chemical composition of sildenafil (commonly known as vardenafil and tadalafil), which is the active ingredient in Viagra. It was approved for use in the United States in 1998 and expires on December 31, 2020.
When Does the Viagra (Sildenafil) Patent Expire?
That is a significant date to remember! Viagra’s patent will officially expire on December 31, 2020. While this may not seem like a lot of time, it actually is. You have to consider that this was 13 years ago and back then, there wasn’t even a generic version of the drug available. So, for the most part, the drug hasn’t been around long enough for patients to really know how it works and how to take it safely. This may mean that doctors won’t know how to prescribe the drug effectively either.
How Is the Viagra Patent Protected?
The Viagra patent is protected by the US Patent and Trademark Office because of its significant health benefits. Sildenafil citrate is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, which is an active ingredient that increases the blood flow to the penis and promotes arousal. This particular property of sildenafil makes it uniquely suited for use in ED treatments. Due to its demonstrated positive effect on erections, Viagra has consistently ranked among the top-selling drugs in the country. In 2018, prescriptions for the compound were worth about $14 billion annually.
Most Biologic Drugs Have Expiry Dates
It is worth noting that most biological drugs have fixed expiry dates. This means that once a pharmaceutical company obtains the rights to a drug, they can only sell the medication for a set period of time. The exceptions to this are so-called “orphan drugs”, which are medications developed for specific purposes, such as helping to prevent HIV or lowering cholesterol. These drugs have very long half-lives, which means they stay in the body for a long time. And because there are so many people who need them, the cost of these medications is usually covered by insurance.
How Do I Know When To Expect The Viagra (Sildenafil) Patent To Expire?
There are a few ways that you can figure out when the Viagra patent is going to expire. First, you can use the US Patent and Trademark Office’s online database to look up the drug’s status. You can also contact the drug’s manufacturer and ask them for an updated forecast. Sometimes, patents have a tendency to be more than a year ahead of their official expiration dates. In this case, you may have to wait until after 2021 before you can legally buy the medication.
Will The New Patents For Viagra (Sildenafil) Make A Difference?
In October of this year, the US Patent and Trademark Office approved three new patents for vardenafil and tadalafil. The approved patents are listed below. You will have to wait until at least December 2022 before these medications are actually available for prescription. So, if you want to try these new compounds, you may have to wait until at least 2023.
- US 9,608,244 B2: Method of treating male erectile dysfunction and sexual disorders using phosphodiesterase inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- US 11,476,530 B2: Agents for treating and preventing gastrointestinal disorders, especially for treating and preventing nausea
- US 15,163,183 B2: Agents for treating and preventing respiratory disorders, especially for treating and preventing asthma
These are exciting times for patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). With so many compounds in the vardenafil and tadalafil family, it would be great to have one or two that are specifically designed for these conditions. Hopefully, these new patents will help bring new hope to patients who are struggling with ED or PAH. If you are one of these patients, make sure to keep your eyes open for developments regarding vardenafil or tadalafil as soon as possible.