Generic Lumigan: An Overview
Lumigan® (
bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) is a prescription medicine approved for the treatment of high eye pressure and
open angle glaucoma. It comes in the form of an eye drop and belongs to a group of medications known as prostaglandins.
Lumigan is manufactured by Allergan, Inc. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Lumigan from being manufactured in the United States. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic Lumigan," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is, these medicines may be fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. There may be generic Lumigan available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Lumigan. You should not buy any generic Lumigan until there is an approved generic available.
When Will a Generic for Lumigan Be Available?
The first patent for Lumigan is currently set to expire in September 2012. This is the earliest predictable date that a generic version of Lumigan could become available. However, there are other circumstances that could come up to extend or shorten the exclusivity period of Lumigan. This could include such things as lawsuits or other patents for new
Lumigan uses. Once Lumigan goes off patent, there may be several companies that will manufacture a generic Lumigan drug.
