What patent covers Plendil, and what does it protect?
Plendil is the brand name for felodipine, a medicine used mainly for high blood pressure. The “Plendil patent” usually refers to patents that cover one or more of the following: the felodipine compound, a specific formulation/dose form (such as extended-release), and/or manufacturing methods tied to the drug product. Patent coverage typically differs by country and can include both a primary compound patent and later formulation/process patents.
When do Plendil patents expire (and how does that vary by country)?
Patent expiry depends on:
- The jurisdiction (US, EP/EU, UK, Canada, etc.).
- The filing/priority dates of the relevant patent family.
- Possible patent term extensions or supplementary protection in some regions (commonly in Europe for certain drug products).
- Whether the date you care about is the end of the patent term or the end of regulatory exclusivity (which can affect when generics enter even after patents expire).
Because the question is broad (“Plendil patent”), the exact expiry date can’t be pinned down without knowing the country and which patent number/patent family you mean.
Does Plendil still have active protection from patents today?
Often, branded versions of older medicines like felodipine face some combination of:
- expired compound patents,
- newer or still-active formulation/process patents (if any were granted later),
- and/or non-patent exclusivities that can delay generic availability in certain markets.
Whether Plendil is still protected hinges on the specific jurisdiction and the specific patent set.
Can generic felodipine be sold if the Plendil patent is expired?
Usually yes, but it depends on what kind of exclusivity/protection remains:
- If only the compound patent expired, generics may still need to navigate any formulation or method-of-use patents that remain active.
- In the EU/UK, generic entry can also be affected by the status of data/market exclusivity and any protected product claims.
- In the US, generic availability can depend on whether an ANDA filing triggers paragraph IV challenges and whether other listed patents are still in force.
Where to find the exact “Plendil patent” list (by country)
To get the precise patent(s) and expiry timelines, you typically search:
- National patent registers (e.g., USPTO for US, EPO/ national registries for Europe, UKIPO for UK).
- For the US, also look at FDA Orange Book listings for felodipine products to identify which patents are listed for the reference product (brand) and their expiration dates.
If you tell me which country you mean (and whether you want the patent expiry date or the patent numbers), I can narrow it to the specific Plendil/felodipine patent family and the relevant listed protections.
Sources
I don’t have the provided dataset/links needed to cite specific Plendil/felodipine patent numbers or expiry dates from authoritative registries in this chat.