Montelukast has been covered by multiple patents over the years, owned by Merck (and, earlier, Schering-Plough). The core patents around the compound and its salts have expired in many major markets, but there can still be active or later-expiring patents on specific formulations, salt forms, methods of use (e.g., certain indications or patient populations), or combination therapies.
Because patent status is jurisdiction-specific and can change with term extensions, here’s how to get precise info:
- Tell me your target jurisdiction(s) (e.g., US, EU, UK, Japan, etc.) and whether you want:
- patent numbers and titles,
- expiry dates,
- or a list of active vs expired patents (by category: composition, salt/formulation, methods of use, combinations).
- If you want a quick starting point:
- In the US, you can check the FDA Orange Book for listed patents related to montelukast-containing products (brand name Singulair) and their expiry.
- Patent databases to search: Google Patents, USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database, Espacenet (European), and WIPO Patentscope. Useful search terms: “montelukast”, “montelukast sodium”, “Schering-Plough montelukast”, “Merck montelukast”, “leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast”, along with “composition”, “formulation”, “method of use”, and “salt”.
If you share your jurisdiction, I can outline or list the likely patent areas and point you to specific patent families to review.