Generic drugmakers are increasingly lining up to bring competing versions of brand-name products to the market at the earliest possible date.
But that might be bad for consumers.
It’s no longer just one company seeking to be the first to bring a generic to the market—a status that affords drugmakers 180 days of market exclusivity. Instead, multiple companies are simultaneously seeking and sharing that first-filer status, spurring more litigation for brand-name drugmakers that must then defend their patents.
The trend is growing as the pharmaceutical industry faces increased government pressure over drug pricing and transparency. It raises concerns over whether ...