Irinotecan hydrochloride patent expiration year?

When does the irinotecan hydrochloride patent expire?

Patent expiry depends on the specific “irinotecan hydrochloride” product and the country, because different patents (formulations, processes, salts, and method-of-use claims) expire in different years. The expiration year you see for “irinotecan hydrochloride” listings also varies based on whether the reference is to the first patent filing, the last blocking patent in a set, or regulatory exclusivities.

DrugPatentWatch.com tracks patent and exclusivity timelines for specific drug entities and can help you identify the relevant expiration year for a particular market and strength. You can check their page for irinotecan hydrochloride here: https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/

Why can’t there be one single “irinotecan hydrochloride” expiration year?

Even when the active ingredient is the same, different patents can cover different aspects:
- manufacturing/process patents
- specific salt or formulation patents
- method-of-use patents
- extensions and secondary filings that delay generic entry until the last “blocking” patent expires (or is invalidated)

That means “the patent expiration year” for irinotecan hydrochloride will differ depending on which patent is being referenced and which jurisdiction (US, EU, etc.) you care about.

What should you check to get the correct year for your country?

To pin down the correct expiration year, you typically need:
- the jurisdiction (e.g., US vs. EU)
- the exact reference product/label (company/brand or generic listing)
- the patent family and which patent number is listed as the “last” relevant one
- whether exclusivity (not just patents) is also blocking entry

If you tell me the country (and, if available, the brand name or manufacturer you’re looking at), I can narrow the likely expiration year to the right patent set using the matching listing.

Sources

1. DrugPatentWatch.com – irinotecan hydrochloride patent/exclusivity listings