Can I Buy Generic Revatio?
Revatio® (
sildenafil citrate) is a prescription medication belonging to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. It is used to improve exercise ability and to slow down worsening conditions in people with pulmonary arterial
hypertension (
high blood pressure in the lungs).
Revatio is made by Pfizer Inc. It is protected from generic competition by exclusivity rights that have not yet expired.
When Will a Generic Version Be Available?
The patent for Revatio is currently set to expire in September 2012. This patent was initially set to expire in March 2012, but the manufacturer was given a six-month extension for performing much-needed pediatric studies with the medication.
However, there are other circumstances that could come up to extend or shorten this exclusivity period. This could include such things as lawsuits or other patents for specific
Revatio uses. Once the drug goes off-patent, there may be several companies that manufacture a generic Revatio drug.
Is Sildenafil Citrate a Generic Revatio?
No --
sildenafil citrate is the active ingredient in Revatio, but it is not a generic version of it. What can be confusing is that the active ingredient of a drug is often referred to as the "generic name."
The generic name is different from a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off-patent, and another company besides the original manufacturer must make the product.
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