Was loratadine patented in 1980?

No, loratadine itself was not patented in 1980. The first patent that covers the drug was filed by Pfizer in the mid‑1980s and granted a few years later.

Key dates

| Event | Year | Detail |
|-------|------|--------|
| Discovery of loratadine | 1984 | Pfizer scientists identified the compound as a potent, non‑sedating antihistamine. |
| Patent filing | 1985 (US) | “Antiallergic compounds” (filed by Pfizer). |
| Patent grant | 1986 (US 4,632,181) | The patent covers the racemic mixture of loratadine. |
| Subsequent patents | 1988‑1991 | Patents covering the S‑enantiomer (S‑loratadine) and various formulations. |

The U.S. Patent 4,632,181 (issued June 10, 1986) is the first publicly documented patent that claims loratadine. Earlier patent filings (e.g., a provisional application in 1984) are not counted as formal patents, and they were all filed after 1980.

So, while the drug was discovered in the early 1980s, the formal patent protection began a few years later, not in 1980.