Ivermectin made a revolution in the 1980s. It was the founder of a new group of antiparasitic drugs and demonstrated its effectiveness in fighting several types of parasites.
Is Ivermectin patented? Sure, like any other drug, it was patented in 1981. The patent expired in 1996, although the patent was renewed for different periods of time in some countries. At first, they used the drug in veterinary medicine to treat cattle, but then they also began to use it for humans.
Is Ivermectin out of patent today? Now different companies produce drugs containing this active ingredient since the patent for it has expired. At the same time, each company regulates the formula of its drugs, which may affect their properties. Clinical trials help evaluate the quality of new drugs.
Although the active ingredient is unpatented, there are over 70 international patents for its compounds. They use Ivermectin-based drugs to treat various diseases, and some data support the drug’s effectiveness for COVID-19.
Who holds the patent for Ivermectin today?
Merck & Co. Inc. is a manufacturer of Ivermectin. The company patented the drug in 1981 and registered the patent in 46 countries in 1986. Who owns the patent for the drug today? Since the Merck patent for Ivermectin has expired, this substance is unpatented now.
Merck & Co. Inc. had all the rights to the active substance as a patent holder, so only it could produce medicines containing it. During this time, the drug has helped to significantly improve the situation with such severe diseases caused by parasites as river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis. Ivermectin was a “miracle drug” for fighting nematodes and arthropod parasites.
After Merck was no longer the Ivermectin patent owner, other companies appeared on the market. Patents for compounds of the active ingredient used in new antiparasitic drugs with different trade names were issued.
What are the benefits of Ivermectin patent expiry?
After the Merck patent expiry in 1996, various pharmaceutical manufacturers began to use Ivermectin. The companies manufactured drugs for both external and topical use. They differ in the content of the active substance and excipients.
For example, as a result of the expiration of this patent, a new antiparasitic drug Stromectol appeared. Today, pharmaceutical companies can use Ivermectin in their products, which significantly expands the range of its potential use.
After the Merck Ivermectin patent expired, the company lost the sole right to use Ivermectin, but this opened the way for the production of drugs with the characteristics of the active substance you can use to treat diseases caused not only by parasites but also other factors. Studies on potential uses of Ivermectin are in progress.
Conclusion
Ivermectin was created by Merck & Co., which held the patent for it for 15 years. During this time, the drug has shown high efficiency in antiparasitic therapy and has helped to effectively deal with many severe diseases.
After the patent expiry, other manufacturers also received the opportunity to develop drugs using this active ingredient. At present, on the market there are many Ivermectin-containing drugs with different trade names. The medicines have similar characteristics, and they mainly use them to control parasites. But this does not exclude the appearance of Ivermectin-based drugs with a broader spectrum of action in the future.
