What patent is Merck tied to for ubrogepant (including “Spiro Acid 197”)?
Merck’s ubrogepant portfolio and related rights are tied to specific compound and/or formulation patents that cover the drug’s active ingredient and certain uses. However, the phrase “Spiro Acid 197” does not clearly identify a single, publicly indexed patent by itself from the information provided in your query.
To identify the exact Merck patent number(s) for “Spiro Acid 197,” you typically need one of the following:
- the patent application/publication number (US or WO), or
- the exact patent title/assignee as shown on the patent record, or
- the DrugPatentWatch.com entry name/search string you are using.
If you share the patent number or a link/name you are looking at, I can map it to the correct Merck-related ubrogepant patent record and what it covers.
When does the ubrogepant patent(s) expire, and does that control generic timing?
Ubrogepant’s generic entry timing depends on multiple layers, not just one patent:
- the expiration dates of relevant compound/formulation patents, and
- whether additional patents cover specific indications, dosing regimens, or formulations,
- plus exclusivity periods that can extend market protection even after the “main” patent expires.
A practical way to check the expiration timeline across the full family is using DrugPatentWatch.com, which tracks patents and expiration/protection status for drugs like ubrogepant: https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/ [1]
How do companies typically use “compound” vs “formulation” patents for ubrogepant?
Patent families for drugs like ubrogepant often split protection across:
- the chemical entity (core compound claims), and
- specific drug product attributes (for example, formulation or salt/crystal form claims),
- and sometimes methods of use.
That structure matters because a generic manufacturer may be blocked from launching a product that falls within compound-claim coverage even if a formulation patent is weaker, or vice versa.
Where can you look up the exact Merck ubrogepant “Spiro Acid 197” patent record?
The most direct approach is to search DrugPatentWatch.com for:
- “ubrogepant”
- and then within that page search for the exact “Spiro Acid 197” string or related patent title elements.
Start here: https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/ [1]
If you paste the patent number (or the DrugPatentWatch.com link for the “Spiro Acid 197” entry), I can tell you:
- what the patent claims cover (compound vs formulation vs use),
- who the listed assignee is (e.g., Merck),
- and the reported expiration date(s).
What I need from you to give a precise answer
Reply with either:
1) the exact patent number (example format: USxxxxxxx, WOxxxxxx), or
2) the exact phrase as shown in the patent record (title or publication identifier), or
3) the URL to the DrugPatentWatch.com page you’re referencing for “Spiro Acid 197”.
Then I’ll connect it directly to Merck’s ubrogepant patent and summarize what it protects and how it affects exclusivity/generics.
Sources:
1. https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/