Buy Generic Singulair

Singulair is a prescription drug used to treat asthma, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and symptoms of allergic rhinitis, including runny, itchy and stuffy nose. Singulair is typically taken in daily 10 mg capsules for adults, with smaller chewable and powdered doses for younger patients. The drug does not protect against acute asthma attacks, but rather to control symptoms over time. Because patients must typically take the Singulair over the course of several weeks, the drug can become somewhat expensive. To combat this, many individuals seek to buy generic Singulair. Unfortunately, a generic form of this drug is currently unavailable.

What is Generic Singulair?

Generic Singulair, also known as montelukast, is pharmakinetically identical to name brand Singulair, meaning that it provides the same therapeutic effects. Montelukast is what is known as a leukotriene inhibitor. Instead of targeting histamines, as some asthma and allergy medication do, montelukast restricts the activity of chemicals called leukotrienes, which tighten and constrict the airway in response to irritants. This is what results in labored breathing for an asthma or allergy sufferer, so the montelukast effectively opens the patient’s airway and allows them to more easily respirate.

Why Can’t I Buy Generic Singulair?

Singulair is currently protected by a U.S. patent, held by its manufacturer, Merck & Co. This patent is set to expire in August 2012, but additional patents or lawsuits could potentially alter this date. As long as the patent is active, Merck has exclusive rights to produce and sell Singulair, preventing any generic versions from being made. This makes August 2012 the first probable time that generic Singulair could become commercially available, but it is difficult to predict the date exactly.

Why Would I Want to Buy Generic Singulair?

Generic drugs are nearly always cheaper than their name brand counterparts due to differences in the way the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test name brand and generic drugs. While Singulair had to go through many rounds of clinical trials before being approved, a generic form would only need a portion of the testing its name brand candidate received. This is mostly because much of the research done to support the approval of the original drug applies to the generic version. This reduces overhead expenses for the generic drug’s maker, lowering the price of the product. Considering this, generic Singulair will likely be much cheaper than name brand Singulair if and when it arrives on the market.