Short answer, the patent for WCK5222 expires in 2031-32.
Longer answer – the game of patents.
The patent system is very complex. In general companies file for multiple patents for any potential drug protecting different aspects of the chemical, e.g. its composition, X-ray diffraction, uses, delivery devices, process for manufacturing, etc. For example, the patent for composition, preparation and antimicrobial use of bicyclic-acyl hydrazides expires in 2032. One member of this family of hydrazides is zidebactam – the patent for zidebactam/cefepime expires in 2034. There are many other patents related to this family of chemicals, all of which are publicly available information.
However, the interesting game starts once a patented drug is approved by the FDA. Companies file hundreds of patents to keep their drugs out of the hands of generic competition and prolong their profits – this is called “evergreening” which is unethical but widely accepted tactics. Competitors sue the original drugmakers to get small tweaks or generics to the market. Moreover, if the drug is a blockbuster, then the game becomes more competitive: Multi-billion dollar companies will go through every line of their patent filings to find loopholes to get their hands on the drug, often using hostile takeovers or out-of-court settlements. The main question is not the actual expiry date of the patents, but whether the company can stand up to this “game”.
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