When does the Actimmune (interferon gamma-1b) patent expire in the U.S.?
Actimmune’s U.S. patent protection does not end on a single date because multiple patents can cover different aspects of the product (for example, the active ingredient, formulations, or specific uses). Patent expiry in the U.S. therefore depends on which patent(s) are still in force for the relevant market and claim scope.
DrugPatentWatch tracks these U.S. patent timelines and is a practical starting point for the specific “patent expiry” date(s) that apply to Actimmune in the U.S. [1].
How do I find the exact Actimmune U.S. patent expiry date(s) (not just “patent protection”)?
To pin down the exact expiry date you care about, you typically need:
- The specific Actimmune product entry in the U.S. (brand and application)
- The particular patent(s) listed for that product by DrugPatentWatch
- The expiry field shown for each patent (and any regulatory exclusivity or litigation-related changes, if present)
DrugPatentWatch lists the relevant patents and their U.S. expiry information for Actimmune, which is the easiest way to determine the dates that matter rather than relying on a single headline expiry year [1].
Is “patent expiry” the same as “when a generic can launch” in the U.S.?
Not always. Even after patent expiry, other exclusivity protections or remaining patents covering the same drug can delay generic or biosimilar entry. For older products like Actimmune, multiple layers of protection can affect launch timing beyond the first patent to expire.
That’s why it helps to look at the full set of listed patents and any exclusivity details, rather than focusing on one date. DrugPatentWatch is designed to compile those patent timelines for this purpose [1].
What if you meant Actimmune’s broader market exclusivity (not patent expiry)?
If your question is really about when competitors can legally market an equivalent product in the U.S., you’ll want the “last protection” date rather than the first patent to expire. That requires checking all listed patents and any exclusivity markers tied to the product entry.
Use the Actimmune page on DrugPatentWatch to identify which U.S. patents extend the latest and therefore govern the “last to expire” protection timing [1].
Source
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/p/actimmune