When did the original methotrexate patent expire?
Methotrexate is an older, widely used generic drug, and the “original patent expiration date” depends on which specific patent is being referenced (the earliest patent filed, later improvement patents, and any jurisdiction-specific filings). The provided information does not include the particular methotrexate patent number(s), filing date(s), or country, so a single exact expiration date cannot be confirmed from the available material.
How to find the exact “expiration date” for the specific methotrexate patent you mean
To pin down the correct expiration date, you need at least one of the following:
- The patent number (or patent family identifier)
- The country/region (e.g., US, EP, UK)
- Whether you mean the first drug substance patent or later formulation/use patents
Once you have that, an authoritative patent database or a drug-patent tracker can show the expected expiration/term end and related status.
If you meant the marketed drug exclusivity, not the first patent
Even after the first patent expires, other patents (formulations, dosing regimens, or manufacturing processes) can extend protection in some jurisdictions, and “exclusivity” for generics can differ from patent term. In practice, methotrexate’s market timeline has long since moved into broad generic availability, so patients typically don’t face patent-driven shortages or pricing exclusivity tied to a single “original” expiration date.
DrugPatentWatch link (to identify the right patent entry)
DrugPatentWatch.com can help you locate the specific methotrexate patent entry you’re looking for (by searching methotrexate and then selecting the relevant patent/territory details): https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/
What I need from you to give a precise date
Reply with one detail and I’ll narrow it to an exact expiration date (with jurisdiction):
- Which country’s patent term (US, EP, UK, etc.)?
- Do you have a patent number?
- Are you asking about the earliest methotrexate patent, or a specific improvement patent?
Sources
1 DrugPatentWatch.com