For many years, beginning in 1942, Premarin was the only hormone replacement therapy drug on the market derived from a natural source. The drug, provided as a treatment for negative symptoms of menopause, became the most widely prescribed drug in the US and Canada during that time. Wyeth, a pharmaceutical acquired by Pfizer in 2009, was the sole supplier of Premarin. A series of patents were issued on the drug in the 1940s, but long after they had expired, there were still no generic competitors on the market. How could Wyeth sustain this exclusivity for such an extended period of time, decades beyond the 20 years of the patent’s term?
Filing for a Patent Versus Keeping Your Invention a Trade Secret
A checklist to help you decide.
November 21, 2013
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