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Will Xalatan Be Available in Generic ?

01/28/2011

Question:

Good morning, Excited at discovering this site and hoping for answer. Am advised by reputable MD that Xalatan will be available in generic form in 2011. Any word on this will be appreciated. I take one drop in each eye daily. Am on medicare but this is only drug I take so I do not have prescription plan D. Very costly so any suggestions for generic or substitute are welcome. Doctor wants to stay with Xalatan and gave ray of hope in generic possibility.

Answer:

Xalatan (latanaprost ophthalmic solution) is a prescription eye drop primarily used to treat glaucoma. Pfizer is the sole manufacturer currently, but the last of the company’s patents for this drug expires on March 22, 2011.

Once the patent expires, another drug company can legally manufacture a generic version of the product. However, prior to marketing, the generic drug manufacturer must submit data to the FDA showing that the new product is bioequivalent to the brand name product. This means that the generic version of the medicine is essentially similar to the branded product. When the FDA approves the product, it can be marketed.

It may be a bit optimistic to say a generic version of Xalatan (latanaprost ophthalmic solution) will be available in the spring. It is certainly possible. The exact timeframe depends on the stage of development of the drug product and how quickly it gets through the approval process. It is likely that a generic version will be available within a year.

This respsonse was prepared in part by Sarah Rotman, a PharmD candidate at the NetWellness.org College of Pharmacy.

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Go to the Pharmacy and Medications health topic.