Symbicort is currently protected by a patent, which means that other drug companies cannot manufacture generic Symbicort until it expires. Because the active ingredient of any drug is often referred to as its "generic name," many people are under the impression that budesonide and formoterol are generic forms of Symbicort. However, these are actually the active ingredients of the drug and are not generic Symbicort.
Generic Symbicort: An Overview
Symbicort is manufactured by AstraZeneca. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Symbicort from being manufactured in the United States.
When Will Generic Symbicort Be Available?
The first patent for Symbicort currently expires in September 2012. This is the earliest possible date that generic versions of the drug could become available. However, other circumstances could come up that extend the exclusivity period beyond 2012. This could include such things as other patents for specific
Symbicort uses or lawsuits. Once the patent expires, several companies will likely begin manufacturing a generic Symbicort drug.
Are Budesonide and Formoterol Types of Generic Symbicort?
No --
budesonide and
formoterol are the active ingredients in Symbicort (and other medications), but are not generic versions of it. What can be confusing is that, oftentimes, the active ingredient of any 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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