The battle for Viagra Patent
In 1989, sildenafil citrate was originally created by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as a medication to treat high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. By 1994, Pfizer accidentally discovered that sildenafil also increased inflow of blood into the male sexual organ, thus reversing erectile dysfunction, or ED in men. It so happened that the new medication relaxed the smooth muscles, blood vessels and arteries inside the penis, resulting in an robust erection when combined with sexual arousal. This was perhaps the most amazing, revolutionary and profitable side effect ever generated by a drug.
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals immediately patented sildenafil citrate as an oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, and ever since it has been making over $1 billion a year in revenue from their discovery of what we know today as Viagra.
But it is safe to say that in the last few years, Pfizer has surrendered some of its leadership in the ED market to other companies and online pharmacies who manufacture and distribute generic Viagra. However, the Isarel-based Pharmaceutical, Teva, known for manufacturing generic drugs, planned to end Pfizer's reign once and for all by contesting Pfizer's Viagra patent in court. In June of 2011, lawyers for both companies argued before a U.S. District Judge in Norfolk, Virginia, about the validity of Pfizer's double patent on Viagra – one that expires in 2012 and a second one in 2019. By August of 2011, the U.S District Judge ruled in favor of Pfizer, meaning that the pharmaceutical giant will keep its patent of Viagra until the year 2019.
Meanwhile, published articles, reports and Pfizer's British patent provided enough details to enable the online pharmacy industry, as well as other companies to come up with generic Viagra. These companies market cheap
Viagra Online and are a welcomed alternative for those who cannot afford the original Viagra treatment. After all, both medicines are practically the same. Online pharmacies have sprung up and a stiff competition has been launched against Pfizer. An Israeli scientist from Teva Pharmaceuticals went on record as saying that “once you have the compound (sildenafil), the method of use becomes obvious.”