Being the first to launch a generic into the market grants a drugmaker 180 days of market exclusivity. However, with so many companies pursuing that goal, the first-filer status is often shared among several companies.
“Generally [generic] clients see it as a negative if they file an ANDA on the NCE-1 date and learn there’s another eight, 10 or 15 filers. That changes their calculus,” Gary Hood, a Chicago-based lawyer, told Bloomberg Law. “They may not view this as the opportunity they thought it was.”
An excess of competing generic drugmakers can catalyze more legal action for brand-name drugmakers in defense of their patents. Generic drugmakers often engage in patent battles so they can reach agreements with brand-name drugmakers that give them compensation to stay away from the market. As a result, even all the competition among drug manufacturers doesn’t mean patients will see lower drug costs.
Other generic drugmakers are focusing on pursuing first-filer status for only hard-to-manufacture drugs, such as injectable medications, since fewer companies are able to produce those.
More articles on pharmacy:
Kaiser Permanente joins Civica Rx to supply generic drugs
New CMS rule promotes payer drug price negotiations based on clinical outcomes
Nearly 90% of Americans worried about drug price hikes
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit