Xeljanz generics — when can they launch?
Xeljanz (Tofacitinib Citrate) · Pfizer · 13 active US patents · 5 expired
Where Xeljanz sits in the generic timeline
All listed Orange Book patents for Xeljanz have expired. Generic entry is permitted, and ANDA filers can launch without patent infringement risk. Hatch-Waxman exclusivity (NCE/ODE/PED) may still apply if recently approved.
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.
- Other — 9 patents
- Formulation — 2 patents
- Method of Use — 2 patents
FDA U-codes carved out by Xeljanz 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-3326 | (no description) |
Sample patent estate
Showing 6 of 13 active US patents. View full estate on the Xeljanz drug page →
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This patent, US RE41783, protects intellectual property related to Xeljanz until its expiration on June 08, 2026.
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This patent, US RE41783, protects intellectual property related to Xeljanz until its expiration on June 08, 2026.
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This patent, US RE41783, protects intellectual property related to Xeljanz until its expiration on June 08, 2026.
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This patent, US RE41783, protects intellectual property related to Xeljanz until its expiration on June 08, 2026.
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This patent, US RE41783, protects intellectual property related to Xeljanz until its expiration on June 08, 2026.
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This patent protects oral sustained release formulations of tofacitinib and its pharmaceutical acceptable salts.USPTO title: Tofacitinib oral sustained release dosage forms
Sources
- FDA Orange Book — patents listed against Xeljanz (NDA filed 2012)
- Xeljanz drug profile — full patent estate, indications, clinical trials, pricing
- Pfizer patent portfolio
- Patent cliff 2026 — 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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