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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Generic for Imitrex????
        
(Message started by: giffy76 on Oct 4^th, 2006, 7:37am)

Title: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by giffy76 on Oct 4^th, 2006, 7:37am

Is there a generic for Imitrex yet? If not has anyone heard when they will make one?

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BarbaraD on Oct 4^th, 2006, 7:51am

Their patent is about to expire so maybe after that there will be a generic. But right now I don't know of one.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Charlotte on Oct 4^th, 2006, 8:51am

I don't think most people here use maxalt melt, but they have a generic for that. It's still $9 a disc/tab.

Charlotte

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Sandy_C on Oct 4^th, 2006, 4:40pm

I think it's sumatriptan.

Google it.

Sandy

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Margi on Oct 4^th, 2006, 4:47pm

Looks like there is but only in tablet form (which is a waste of time for a clusterhead)

http://www.stoneforts.com/generic-imitrex/index.html

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Oct 4^th, 2006, 4:49pm

on 10/04/06 at 08:51:16, Charlotte wrote:

I don't think most people here use maxalt melt, but they have a generic for that. It's still $9 a disc/tab.

Charlotte

I thought Imitrex was the original triptan, how did the Maxalt patent expire first?

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by kcopelin on Oct 4^th, 2006, 8:42pm

Okay, this gets dicey but the deal is....pharmaceutical comapnies really want to hold a patent as long as possible-let me tell ya the story about fosamax (for osteoporosis) First there was the daily dose-they made alot of money on that and low and behold just before that patent expired they found :o a way to make it a weekly dose ::)Yippee!!extent the patent...Now they have a once a month....again..new patent. The triptans have been around along time, and every change they make- in delivery, in dose-in frequency-in melts in your mouth-gets a new patent....
My gosh, I've wasted my life as a sociologist and philosopher, I coulda been a contenda (I mean a pharmaceutical mogul). ;;D
There are ways around the high cost....go to needymeds.com and see if ya qualify for anything. For real.

PFDAN
kathy

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Oct 4^th, 2006, 8:45pm

I can see them getting a patent on a new delivery method or whatever, but doesn't the patent on the old method still expire?

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Charlotte on Oct 4^th, 2006, 9:57pm

OK. The little packet says Maxalt-Mlt, rizatriptan benzoate orally disintegrating tablets 10 mg.

However, each tablet contains 14.53 mg of rizatriptan benzoate equivalent to 10 mg rizatriptan.

So it is not sumatriptan, it's rizatriptan, and the generic is rizatriptan benzoate. 14.53 mg is easier to cut into 4 pieces.

Charlotte

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by giffy76 on Oct 5^th, 2006, 7:25am

Thanks for the info, Maxalt didn't work for me, the only thing I found to work is Imitrex injections.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by unsolved1 on Oct 5^th, 2006, 8:21am

sandy and charlotte ... you're going to confuse someone.

Maxalt is NOT the same thing as Imitrex ... nor is it the generic form for Imitrex. Maxalt is simply another Triptan drug. There are 7 triptan drugs in all. Imitrex was the first triptan drug and the only triptan available in an injection form. BTW, Imitrex is the brand name ...sumatriptan succinate is the drug name.

There are no generic Imitrex injections yet.

PF Wishes

UNsolved

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by chopmyheadoff on Oct 11^th, 2006, 8:04am

they need/want to keep hold of the lisence as long as thety can to recover research and development costs

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Oct 11^th, 2006, 10:17am

I still don't see how changing the formula gives them a new patent on the original drug.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by kcopelin on Oct 11^th, 2006, 4:34pm

It allows them to extend the patent...just takes a bit of a change. anyone check out needymeds?
kathy (who hesitates to say anything really nasty about pharmaceutical companies because they may end up being OUCHs biggest donors.)

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Linda_Howell on Oct 11^th, 2006, 4:58pm

I believe Cat knows when the patent is up on Imitrex.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Oct 11^th, 2006, 7:36pm

on 10/11/06 at 16:34:20, kcopelin wrote:

I'm still not getting it. Changing the formula creates a new drug that has a new patent...why would the new patent extend to the old product?

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Not4Hire on Oct 11^th, 2006, 9:57pm

on 10/11/06 at 08:04:05, chopmyheadoff wrote:

they need/want to keep hold of the lisence as long as thety can to recover research and development costs

I respectfully and VEHEMENTLY disagree, Chopper. The greedy MFers have a drug that WORKS (and, in my opinion, prolongs and maintains the very condition it temporarily relieves). If GSK hasn't recouped the cost of R&D on Imitrex/Imigran many millions of times, I would be very surprised. Funny how they charge around $75/dose in First World countries and around $12/dose in Third World. Which is still way too much. Even funnier that much better relief is found on cowflop....

http://www.clusterbusters.com

...rant mode off...

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Linda_Howell on Oct 11^th, 2006, 10:32pm

Have I told you I love it when you're angry Steve? ;;D

I wholeheartedly agree with what you said though.

100,000,000 %

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by chewy on Oct 11^th, 2006, 10:45pm

Quote:

I think it's sumatriptan.

Sumatriptan is imitrex. There no generic yet.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Mr. Happy on Oct 12^th, 2006, 3:09am

on 10/11/06 at 22:45:16, chewy wrote:

Sumatriptan is imitrex. There no generic yet.

Killed this thread.

Next topic?
Hap

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by BlueMeanie on Oct 12^th, 2006, 3:37am

on 10/12/06 at 03:09:09, Mr. Happy wrote:

Killed this thread.

Not yet Hap......, most likely there will only be generic Trex in pill form, rendering it useless for us Clusterheads. ::)

O.K., now this thread is dead. Man I like quoting Hap. ;;D

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by chopmyheadoff on Oct 12^th, 2006, 6:02am

on 10/11/06 at 21:57:40, Not4Hire wrote:

but imagine how much it costs to pay for all that research and to develop a new drug that is really for a tiny percentage of the population.
its not like asprin where they sell fifteen trillion a day, so i still say they have to recover the cost of what they have done.

its like having a bently hand built.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Not4Hire on Oct 12^th, 2006, 7:34am

Quote:

its like having a bently hand built.

...and THAT is why I have to drive a Henway...

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by Bob P on Oct 12^th, 2006, 8:39am

The trex patent expires in 2008-2009. After that there will be a generic.

Title: Re: Generic for Imitrex????
Post by EvertBoer on Oct 13^th, 2006, 3:22pm

The drug companies like to pretend they're only charging so much to recover research and development, however, if you watch TV at all, you can see they're really trying to cover all their advertisements where they try to convince people this drug is for them and "contact your doctor to see if this drug is right for you". And of course they have to pay all the crooked lobbyists and congressman so they can stay on top of the pile. Just look at the ridiculous medicare drug bill to see where the priorities are.