The Steepest Patent Cliff in Order
Big pharma companies focusing on anti-diabetic drugs are bracing themselves for the steepest patent cliff this decade. With Eli Lilly’s Trulicity to have its base patent expired in December 2027 and Novo Nordisk’s top selling drug, Jardiance, to meet its doomsday in February 2029, the companies are introducing new drug classes to their product pipelines.
Drug name | Drug type | Drug manufacturer | Global Sales in Q2’ 2023 (Dollars in millions) | US patent expiry | US regulatory protection expiry |
Ozempic (Semaglutide) | GLP-1 agonist, subcutaneous injection | Novo Nordisk | 3,152.3 | Dec 2031 |
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Trulicity (Dulaglutide) | GLP-1 agonist, subcutaneous injection | Eli Lilly | 1,812.5 | Dec 2027 |
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Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) | GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, subcutaneous injection | Eli Lilly | 979.7 | Jan 2036 | May 2027 |
Jardiance (Empagliflozin) | SGLT2 inhibitor, oral tablet | Boehringer Ingelheim | 668.3 | Feb 2029 | Dec 2026 |
Rybelsus (Semaglutide) | GLP-1 agonist, Oral tablet | Novo Nordisk | 568.8 | Dec 2031 |
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Eli Lilly announced the completion of Versanis Bio in August 2023 to include Versanis’ lead asset, Bimagrumab, to its portfolio. The drug is currently being assessed in a Phase 2b study alone and in combination with Semaglutide in adults living with overweight or obesity. With this acquisition, Eli Lilly looks prepared to bring innovative treatments for those living with cardiometabolic diseases to the market1.
Novo Nordisk also announced in June 2023 that it has entered into exclusive negotiations for a controlling stake in BIOCORP to bring innovative medical devices and delivery solutions for patients with serious chronic diseases. Buyouts of Inversago Pharma and Embark Biotech in August 2023 also hint at Novo Nordisk’s intention to expand its anti-obesity portfolio.
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