Generic Acarbose

At this time, there is no generic version of acarbose available because acarbose is protected by a patent. The patent expires in September 2009, at which time a generic acarbose could be manufactured and sold. However, there are other circumstances that could come up to extend that date past September 2009, including other patents for specific uses of the medication or lawsuits. Do not buy any of the fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous drugs currently sold as "generic acarbose."

 

Generic Acarbose: An Overview

Acarbose (Precose®) is a prescription medication that has been licensed as a type 2 diabetes treatment. Acarbose is part of a class of diabetes drugs called alpha glucosidase inhibitors. The medicine slows the digestion of carbohydrates from the diet, helping to decrease the rise in blood sugar that usually happens after meals.
 
Acarbose is manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic acarbose from being manufactured in the United States. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic acarbose," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines are fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. There may be generic acarbose available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine acarbose or not. Therefore, you should not buy any generic acarbose until there is an approved generic available.
 

When Will Generic Acarbose Be Available?

The first patent for acarbose currently expires in September 2009. This is the earliest possible date that a generic version of acarbose could become available. However, there are other circumstances that could come up to extend the exclusivity period of acarbose beyond 2009. These circumstances could include things such as other patents for specific acarbose uses or lawsuits. Once acarbose goes off patent, there may be several companies that manufacture a generic acarbose drug.
 
(Generic Acarbose Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;