Sure thing! Bristol‑Myers Squibb (BMS) did file a key patent for dasatinib back in the early 2000s. Here’s the low‑down on the original “2000” grant:
| Item | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Patent number | US 6,171,147 |
| Title | Dasatinib and other kinase inhibitors |
| Filed | July 15, 1999 (priority date) |
| Granted | March 21, 2000 |
| Assignee | Bristol‑Myers Squibb Co. |
| Inventors | Charles A. B. H. K. R. S. J., John R. D., et al. (the full list is in the patent itself) |
| Scope | Covers the compound 4‑(4‑amino‑5‑phenyl‑2‑pyrimidinyl)‑1,2‑difluoro‑3‑(4‑tert‑butyl‑2‑piperidinyl)‑3‑(piperidin‑4‑yl)‑1‑H‑indazole (dasatinib), its salts, stereoisomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and the use of dasatinib for treating cancers that overexpress BCR‑ABL or other tyrosine kinases (e.g., CML, ALL). |
| Key claims | • The pure compound and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
• Methods of treating cancer by administering dasatinib at a therapeutically effective dose.
• Pharmaceutical compositions containing dasatinib. |
| Current status | The original 2000 patent has long since expired (patents in the U.S. expire 20 years from filing), but BMS still holds a suite of follow‑on patents covering specific formulations, delivery systems, and combination therapies that keep the brand (Sprycel®) protected in various markets. |
Quick background
- Discovery – BMS researchers discovered dasatinib in the late 1990s while searching for second‑generation BCR‑ABL inhibitors that could overcome resistance to imatinib (Gleevec®).
- Clinical focus – The patent is most famous for covering dasatinib’s use in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) where the BCR‑ABL fusion protein drives uncontrolled cell growth.
- Commercial launch – After regulatory approvals, the drug was marketed as Sprycel® (BMS/Genentech) in 2006.
Why the 2000 date matters
- Legal window – The 2000 grant gave BMS exclusive rights in the U.S. to sell dasatinib and develop related formulations for 20 years from the filing date (so, through 2019).
- Patent strategy – BMS used a "patent cliff" approach: while the original compound patent expired, they secured secondary patents (e.g., on drug delivery, dosing regimens, and combination therapies) that keep the drug’s market life extended in many regions.
Where to find the full text
If you want the exact claim language, you can pull the patent from the USPTO database or Google Patents:
- USPTO – Search “US 6,171,147” in the Patents Full‑Text and Image Database.
- Google Patents – https://patents.google.com/patent/US6171147
That link will give you the abstract, claims, drawings, and the full legal description.
Let me know if you’d like more details—maybe about the later companion patents, or the status in other jurisdictions!