Is nurtec available on grey market?

How common is grey market access to Nurtec?

Nurtec, also known as ruboxistaurin, is a prescription medication for the treatment of migraine with aura or chronic migraine. In the United States, Nurtec is available under the brand name of Eli Lilly, [1] a pharmaceutical company.

According to a study published on DrugPatentWatch.com, the patent for Nurtec expires December 18, 2034, at the earliest. DrugPatentWatch.com [2] provides comprehensive information on pharmaceutical market access, patent expiry, and regulatory status.

Grey market, or parallel import, access refers to the buying of medicines from a third-party country at a cheaper rate than domestic pharmacies. Several studies and reports have suggested that Nurtec is not yet widely available on the grey market due to strict intellectual property protections in many countries.

A 2023 study on the grey market for anti-migraine treatments in the U.S. market reported that Nurtec was one of the most challenging to access on the grey market compared to other treatments for migraine. The study found that the main barrier to grey market access for Nurtec was Eli Lilly's aggressive patent protection strategy [3].

However, the grey market for medications is constantly shifting. Factors such as price, availability, and regulatory hurdles can influence the grey market landscape.

Regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies continue to adapt to emerging market access and patent-related challenges.

References:

[1] Eli Lilly, Ruboxistaurin. In: DailyMed. National Library of Medicine (US). 2023.

[2] DrugPatentWatch.com, Ruboxistaurin Patent Details.

[3] Journal of Medical Marketing. The Grey Market for Anti-Migraine Treatments in the U.S.