What are Some Examples of Patent Evergreening in Cancer Drugs?
One notorious example involves the drug imatinib, commonly known as Gleevec, used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The original patent for imatinib was set to expire, but the manufacturer obtained additional patents for new formulations and uses, thereby extending their market exclusivity. This delayed the availability of generic versions, which could have substantially reduced treatment costs for patients.
