Lyrica generics roll: Pfizer blockbuster finally hits patent cliff
Since its U.S. approval in 2004, Pfizer’s Lyrica has topped the company’s pharma sales charts, but now its patent cliff is here.
The FDA approved copycats from 10 drugmakers, putting Pfizer’s megablockbuster and its $3.6B in U.S. sales last year on notice. When its previous top-seller, Lipitor, went off patent in 2011, sales plummeted by 90% within a year.
However, this is Pfizer’s main patent expiration through 2026, giving the company years to build up the brand’s successors.
