At this time, generic Macugen is not available in the United States. The medication is currently under the protection of a patent, but as soon as the patent expires, several drug companies are expected to begin manufacturing a generic version of the medicine. The earliest possible date that generic Macugen products could become available is June 2010.
Generic Macugen: An Overview
Macugen® (
pegaptanib sodium) is a prescription medication used to treat age-related
macular degeneration. Specifically, it is used to treat "wet" macular degeneration, a less common but more damaging form of the disease (as opposed to "dry" macular degeneration).
Macugen is made jointly by Eyetech, Inc. and Pfizer. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Macugen from being manufactured in the United States.
When Will Generic Macugen Be Available?
The first patent for Macugen currently expires in June 2010. This is the earliest possible date that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, other circumstances could come up to extend the exclusivity period beyond 2010. This could include such things as other patents for specific
Macugen uses or lawsuits. Once the patent expires, several companies may begin manufacturing generic Macugen.
Is Pegaptanib the Same as Generic Macugen?
No -- pegaptanib is the active ingredient in Macugen, but is not a generic version of it. What can be confusing is that oftentimes, the active ingredient of a drug is 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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