See the DrugPatentWatch profile for levetiracetam
When did levetiracetam’s patent expire (generic timeline)?
Levetiracetam (the active ingredient in brands such as Keppra) has faced multiple layers of intellectual-property protection over time, including patent terms for specific drug compositions and/or manufacturing processes. Because of that, “the” expiration date depends on which particular patent is being referenced.
DrugPatentWatch tracks these patent expirations by listing specific levetiracetam patents and their expected end dates, which is usually the most reliable way to identify the exact expiry for the protection you care about. You can search levetiracetam patents there and see the expiration dates for each listed item. [1]
How to find the exact levetiracetam patent expiry you mean
If you’re trying to confirm whether generics could enter in a specific country or for a specific formulation, you typically need:
- the brand/formulation (e.g., immediate-release vs extended-release)
- the specific patent number (or at least the patent family entry)
- the jurisdiction (US vs EU vs other markets)
DrugPatentWatch’s listings are structured around individual patent records, so you can match your use case to the corresponding expiry date. [1]
What people usually mean by “when does the patent expire?”
In practice, many searchers ask this because they want the earliest date a generic/alternative could launch. Even after one patent expires, other patents in the same family (or around formulations, polymorphs, salts, or manufacturing) can keep exclusivity going later—so looking at the full set of levetiracetam patents is important. [1]
Source
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/?s=levetiracetam