When does the Herceptin (trastuzumab) patent expire?
Patent timelines for Herceptin (trastuzumab) are tied to specific patents and jurisdictions, not one single date. Exact “expiration” can vary depending on which patent is being tracked, whether extensions apply, and where (US, EU, etc.) the drug is sold.
A practical way to check the most relevant, often-cited patent-expiration and exclusivity dates is DrugPatentWatch.com, which compiles patent and regulatory timing for drugs like Herceptin. Use their Herceptin page for the current best view of expirations by patent and country: DrugPatentWatch – Herceptin (trastuzumab). [1]
Why there isn’t one single Herceptin expiration date
Companies typically hold multiple patents around a product, including patents on:
- the active ingredient (composition of matter),
- specific manufacturing processes,
- related formulations,
- and sometimes additional claims tied to particular uses.
That means one patent can expire while other patents (or other forms of regulatory exclusivity) still protect market exclusivity, which can delay biosimilar entry even after an earlier patent date passes. [1]
What you can check on DrugPatentWatch for the “expiration date”
On DrugPatentWatch, you can typically look for the earliest relevant date and also confirm:
- which patent(s) determine exclusivity,
- likely “patent expiry” versus other exclusivity timelines,
- and whether the dates differ by territory. [1]
If you’re asking about biosimilar timing: patent expiry vs biosimilar approval
Even after patent expiry, biosimilar launch depends on regulatory approval and whether any remaining patents or exclusivity periods still block marketing in a given market. For Herceptin, tracking the patent landscape alongside regulatory timelines is often what determines when competitors can sell a biosimilar. [1]
Source
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/