The Combined Merck/Schering-Plough "In Substance" Patent Cliff Table

As promised, here is the combined Merck/Schering-Plough "in substance" patent cliff data, in one handy table. Let me know if you see errors in it, but $16.8 billion of sales at risk, or already under attack by generics seems significant -- to me -- at least.

Branded Name	Sales ($/Yr)	Compound Name	Suit/Claim Filed	30 Month Expiry/ "At Risk" Date	Likely Competitor(s)
Singulair®	$4.3B	montelukast	February 2007	August 22, 2009a	Teva
Zetia®	$900M	Ezetimibe	March 2007	October 2009b	Glenmark Pharma
Primaxin®	$760M	imipenem/cilastatin	January 2007	September 1, 2009c	Ranbaxy Labs
Temodar®	$950M	Temozolomide	July 2007	January 2010	Barr Labs (Teva Pharma)
Emend®	$264M	aprepitant	January 2009	June 2011	Sandoz
Cozaar®	$3.5B	losartan	N/A	February 11, 2010d	numerous
Integrilin®	$300M	Eptifibatide	February 2009	November 2011	Teva Pharma
Levitra®	$430M	Vardenafil HCl	July 2009	April 2012	Teva Pharma
Fosamax®	$1.5B	alendronate	.	Lost exclusivity in 2008	numerous
Trusopt/Cosopt®	$780M	dorzolamide	.	Lost exclusivity in 2008	numerous
Proscar®	$320M	finasteride	.	Lost exclusivity in 2006	numerous
Zocor®	$660M	statin family		Lost exclusivity in 2006	numerous
Clarinex®	$800M	Descloratadine	September 2006	July 2012e	Orchid Pharma
Nexium®	$1.4B	esomeprazole	October 2005	May 27, 2014f	Ranbaxy
TOTALS:	$16.8 Billion

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Note a: Trial completed February 2009; awaiting decision; no launch yet, despite window being open since August 22, 2009.

Note b: Trial could begin by year end 2009; though admittedly unlikely, an "at risk" launch (by Glenmark, most likely) "window" will be open -- and could occur at any time, now.

Note c: By agreement, Ranbaxy may launch September 1, 2009.

Note d: First Cozaar patents expire in February and April 2010. Many likely competitors after those dates.

Note e: All potential generic descloratadine manufacturers have agreed to a launch suspension until at least January 2012 (Orchid -- the one most likely to launch -- will wait, per agreement, until July 2012), though the permissive "at-risk" launch window first-opened in July of 2009.

Note f: Despite the "at risk" launch window opening in April of 2008, Ranbaxy and Merck (along with partner AstraZeneca) entered a settlement agreement keeping a generic form of Nexium off the market until May of 2014. The United States Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC") is now formally investigating this settlement agreement -- looking into, among other matters, its potential for improper anticompetitive effects. In that regard, Merck and AstraZeneca each received an investigative document demand from the FTC -- in July 2008 -- regarding the settlement agreement with Ranbaxy. Merck is cooperating with the FTC in responding to the document demand.

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More to come, as ever.