Valium generics — when can they launch?
Valium (diazepam) · Generic (originally Roche) · 21 active US patents · 0 expired
Where Valium sits in the generic timeline
Imminent generic cliff: earliest active US patent for Valium expires in 2029 (~3 years from today). ANDA filers are likely already preparing Paragraph IV certifications. Expect first-filer 180-day exclusivity competition imminently.
Under US Hatch-Waxman, a generic enters via an ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Application) and may file with one of four Paragraph IV certifications attacking the brand's listed patents. If the brand sues within 45 days, a 30-month FDA approval stay is triggered. First Para IV filer typically gets 180-day market exclusivity.
Patent estate by type — active patents
Method-of-use patents only carve out specific indications; generics can launch with a "skinny label" omitting those uses. Composition-of-matter patents block the molecule itself.
- Formulation — 15 patents
- Method of Use — 6 patents
FDA U-codes carved out by Valium patents
Method-of-use patents are listed against specific FDA Patent Use Codes ("U-codes") representing carved-out indications. Generics can launch with a label that omits these uses.
| U-code | Description |
|---|---|
U-4173 | (no description) |
Sample patent estate
Showing 6 of 21 active US patents. View full estate on the Valium drug page →
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs, such as Valium, for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs, such as Valium, for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
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This patent protects pharmaceutical compositions of benzodiazepine drugs for nasal administration.USPTO title: Administration of benzodiazepine compositions
Sources
- FDA Orange Book — patents listed against Valium (NDA filed 1963)
- Valium drug profile — full patent estate, indications, clinical trials, pricing
- Generic (originally Roche) patent portfolio
- Patent cliff 2029 — every drug losing US exclusivity that year
Patent term extensions (PTR, pediatric exclusivity), Hatch-Waxman 30-month stays, and FDA regulatory exclusivity (NCE/ODE/PED) may shift the effective generic entry date. Not legal advice.
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