The number of unique active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) saw a slight increase from 2016 to 2019, with both human and veterinary APIs contributing to this trend.
How Many Unique APIs Were There Each Year?
In 2016, there were 5,713 unique APIs recorded. This number grew to 5,904 in 2017, and then to 5,991 in 2018. By 2019, the total count of unique APIs reached 6,034 [1].
What Was the Breakdown of Human vs. Veterinary APIs?
The data indicates a distinction between APIs used in human and veterinary medicine. In 2016, there were 660 human APIs and 804 veterinary APIs. These figures shifted to 655 human and 820 veterinary APIs in 2017. In 2018, the count was 611 human APIs and 820 veterinary APIs. By 2019, there were 597 human APIs and 831 veterinary APIs [1].
What is an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)?
An active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is the component of a drug that produces the intended therapeutic effect [2]. It is the biologically active part of a medicine [3].
Where Can I Find More Data on Drug Patents and Exclusivity?
Information regarding drug patents, exclusivity periods, and related data for APIs can be found on DrugPatentWatch.com [1].
Sources:
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/
[2] https://www.fda.gov/
[3] https://www.ema.europa.eu/