Last Updated: August 2, 2026

methylnaltrexone bromide - Profile


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What are the generic sources for methylnaltrexone bromide and what is the scope of patent protection?

Methylnaltrexone bromide is the generic ingredient in two branded drugs marketed by Actavis Llc, Mylan Labs Ltd, Salix Pharms, and Salix, and is included in four NDAs. There are twelve patents protecting this compound and three Paragraph IV challenges. Additional information is available in the individual branded drug profile pages.

Methylnaltrexone bromide has one hundred and twenty-four patent family members in thirty-six countries.

There is one tentative approval for this compound.

Summary for methylnaltrexone bromide
International Patents:124
US Patents:12
Tradenames:2
Applicants:4
NDAs:4
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases: See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for methylnaltrexone bromide
DrugPatentWatch® Estimated Loss of Exclusivity (LOE) Date for methylnaltrexone bromide
Generic Entry Dates for methylnaltrexone bromide*:
Constraining patent/regulatory exclusivity:
Dosage:

SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS

Generic Entry Dates for methylnaltrexone bromide*:
Constraining patent/regulatory exclusivity:
Dosage:

TABLET;ORAL

*The generic entry opportunity date is the latter of the last compound-claiming patent and the last regulatory exclusivity protection. Many factors can influence early or later generic entry. This date is provided as a rough estimate of generic entry potential and should not be used as an independent source.

Generic filers with tentative approvals for METHYLNALTREXONE BROMIDE
Applicant Application No. Strength Dosage Form
⤷  Start Trial⤷  Start Trial12MG/0.6ML SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS

The 'tentative' approval signifies that the product meets all FDA standards for marketing, and, but for the patents / regulatory protections, it would approved.

Paragraph IV (Patent) Challenges for METHYLNALTREXONE BROMIDE
Tradename Dosage Ingredient Strength NDA ANDAs Submitted Submissiondate
RELISTOR Tablets methylnaltrexone bromide 150 mg 208271 1 2016-09-06
RELISTOR Injection methylnaltrexone bromide 8 mg/0.4 mL, Single Dose Prefilled Syringe 021964 1 2015-09-08
RELISTOR Injection methylnaltrexone bromide 12 mg/0.6 mL, Single Dose Vial 021964 1 2015-07-22

US Patents and Regulatory Information for methylnaltrexone bromide

Applicant Tradename Generic Name Dosage NDA Approval Date TE Type RLD RS Patent No. Patent Expiration Product Substance Delist Req. Exclusivity Expiration
Actavis Llc METHYLNALTREXONE BROMIDE methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 208112-001 Aug 26, 2024 DISCN No No ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Actavis Llc METHYLNALTREXONE BROMIDE methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 208112-002 Aug 26, 2024 DISCN No No ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Mylan Labs Ltd METHYLNALTREXONE BROMIDE methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 208592-001 May 28, 2025 DISCN No No ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-002 Sep 27, 2010 RX Yes Yes ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-002 Sep 27, 2010 RX Yes Yes ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial Y ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-002 Sep 27, 2010 RX Yes Yes ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial Y ⤷  Start Trial
>Applicant >Tradename >Generic Name >Dosage >NDA >Approval Date >TE >Type >RLD >RS >Patent No. >Patent Expiration >Product >Substance >Delist Req. >Exclusivity Expiration

Expired US Patents for methylnaltrexone bromide

Applicant Tradename Generic Name Dosage NDA Approval Date Patent No. Patent Expiration
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-001 Apr 24, 2008 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-002 Sep 27, 2010 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-003 Sep 27, 2010 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-001 Apr 24, 2008 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-002 Sep 27, 2010 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
Salix Pharms RELISTOR methylnaltrexone bromide SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS 021964-001 Apr 24, 2008 ⤷  Start Trial ⤷  Start Trial
>Applicant >Tradename >Generic Name >Dosage >NDA >Approval Date >Patent No. >Patent Expiration

EU/EMA Drug Approvals for methylnaltrexone bromide

Company Drugname Inn Product Number / Indication Status Generic Biosimilar Orphan Marketing Authorisation Marketing Refusal
Bausch Health Ireland Limited Relistor methylnaltrexone bromide EMEA/H/C/000870Treatment of opioid-induced constipation in advanced-illness patients who are receiving palliative care when response to usual laxative therapy has not been sufficient. Authorised no no no 2008-07-01
>Company >Drugname >Inn >Product Number / Indication >Status >Generic >Biosimilar >Orphan >Marketing Authorisation >Marketing Refusal

International Patents for methylnaltrexone bromide

Country Patent Number Title Estimated Expiration
Argentina 080491 ⤷  Start Trial
Australia 2011224275 ⤷  Start Trial
Brazil 112012022873 ⤷  Start Trial
Canada 2789798 ⤷  Start Trial
Chile 2012002192 ⤷  Start Trial
China 102918039 ⤷  Start Trial
>Country >Patent Number >Title >Estimated Expiration

Investment Scenario & Fundamentals Analysis for Methyl naltrexone bromide (Relistor) Patents, Exclusivity, Litigation, and Generic/Biosimilar Risk

Last updated: July 10, 2026

Methyl naltrexone bromide is an oral peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist used for opioid-induced constipation (OIC). The U.S. exclusivity and generic-entry risk depend on Orange Book patent coverage and any later-filed formulation or method-of-use patents. On the available basis in this dataset, no complete, citation-backed Orange Book and litigation record can be produced for methyl naltrexone bromide, so a complete investment thesis with patent dates, Paragraph IV exposure, and FDA pathway timing cannot be finalized without that record.


What is methyl naltrexone bromide’s current market position and revenue exposure?

No Orange Book, FDA approval history, or U.S. commercial timeline data is available in the provided context to quantify (1) current brand usage, (2) revenue trajectory, (3) payer mix, (4) dispensing share, or (5) contract/wholesale dynamics that drive investment case viability.

Key commercial drivers to anchor an investment model

  • OIC prevalence and opioid prescribing trends.
  • Formulary behavior for second-line OIC agents (access, prior authorization, step therapy).
  • Competing product category mix and price erosion from generics.

Competitive set that typically pressures value

  • Other peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonists for OIC:
    • naldemedine
    • naloxegol
    • methylnaltrexone subcutaneous (the same active ingredient portfolio typically has differentiated dosing routes)

What patents protect methyl naltrexone bromide in the U.S., and how many are enforceable?

A complete patent estate analysis requires a current Orange Book listing for each U.S. NDA and each listed patent (including application/patent numbers, claim coverage type, and expiration). That dataset is not present here, so the number of enforceable patents, their expiration dates, and claim scope cannot be stated.

What the investment-grade patent estate must include

  • Drug substance patents (active ingredient)
  • Drug product/formulation patents (dosage form, composition, release profile)
  • Method-of-use patents (OIC endpoints, patient populations, dosing regimens)
  • Manufacturing method patents (if listed)

When does methyl naltrexone bromide lose exclusivity in the U.S.?

An exclusivity timeline requires:

  • NDA/ANDA-level regulatory exclusivities (marketing exclusivity, 5-year drug exclusivity, 3-year novelty, pediatric exclusivity)
  • Orange Book patent expiration dates
  • Any recent FDA approvals that extend the reference product timeline (including lifecycle management)

No FDA exclusivity or Orange Book timeline data is provided here, so an exclusivity-loss date cannot be produced.


Which companies can launch generics of methyl naltrexone bromide, and what Paragraph IV risks exist?

A generics risk assessment requires:

  • Identifying ANDA filers
  • Determining whether any Paragraph IV certifications exist
  • Mapping any court filings, stays, and settlements

No ANDA Paragraph IV, court docket entries, or settlement terms are available in the provided context, so generic entry risk cannot be quantified.


What patent litigation affects methyl naltrexone bromide, and what are the settlement outcomes?

A litigation-focused investment section depends on:

  • Filed suits under 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(2)
  • Claim construction rulings
  • Enforceability findings
  • Settlement dates and “enter-at” designations (where applicable)

No litigation record is available here, so settlement outcomes and launch timing cannot be stated.


What is the Orange Book status of methyl naltrexone bromide?

Orange Book status requires the NDA number(s) for the methyl naltrexone bromide product and the exact patent list with:

  • Patent numbers
  • Claim types (drug substance vs drug product vs method)
  • Expiration dates
  • Listing status (active vs expired)

This Orange Book table cannot be produced from the provided information.


How does methyl naltrexone bromide compare with naloxegol and naldemedine on lifecycle and IP durability?

A durability comparison requires patent-by-patent analysis across competitors and their Orange Book estates. Without the methyl naltrexone bromide Orange Book and the competitors’ listing records in the dataset, a quantified durability ranking cannot be created.

Typical comparison metrics for an investment screen

  • Remaining patent runway in the U.S.
  • Formulation lifecycle extensions
  • Method-of-use expansion attempts
  • Litigation frequency and claim-level strength

What formulations of methyl naltrexone bromide are protected, and what changes could enable a “non-infringing” generic?

Formulation IP barriers require:

  • Composition claims
  • Pharmaceutical form constraints (tablet vs solution, strength-specific claims)
  • Excipients and manufacturing parameters

No formulation patent claim text or Orange Book formulation listing is included here, so the ability for a generic to design around cannot be assessed.


What generic entry risks exist for methyl naltrexone bromide by dosage form and route?

For route-specific risk:

  • Oral vs subcutaneous methyl naltrexone products must be handled separately.
  • Each has distinct patent listings and generic pathways.

No route/dosage form-specific Orange Book coverage is available here, so a dosage-form risk map cannot be created.


How strong is the patent estate for methyl naltrexone bromide based on enforceability signals?

Enforceability signals require:

  • Court outcomes
  • Inventorship validity patterns
  • Whether patents are maintained through claim amendments and survive typical novelty/obviousness scrutiny

No litigation or claim-interpretation record is present here, so patent-strength scoring cannot be produced.


FDA pathway fundamentals: what NDA/label scope governs methyl naltrexone bromide’s exclusivity and labeling protections?

An FDA fundamentals section needs:

  • Approval date(s)
  • Label indications and limitations
  • Changes to dosing, patient populations, and contraindications over time
  • Pediatric exclusivity triggers (if any)

No approval record is provided here.


Investment scenario: does methyl naltrexone bromide offer a defensible long-run cash flow profile?

A defensible cash-flow profile for an older small molecule depends on:

  • Remaining enforceable U.S. patent life
  • Presence of “hard” litigation or settlements controlling generic entry
  • Continued market access advantages (payer preference, administration convenience)

No remaining enforceable patent runway, generic-control terms, or current market position data are available in the provided context. As a result, an investment scenario with cash-flow timing and risk-adjusted entry probability cannot be constructed.


Key Takeaways

  • Methyl naltrexone bromide’s investment fundamentals hinge on U.S. Orange Book patent runway, exclusivity periods, and any Paragraph IV litigation or settlements.
  • The provided context does not include the necessary Orange Book listings, FDA exclusivity dates, ANDA Paragraph IV records, or litigation outcomes to produce an investment-grade timeline or generic-entry risk model.
  • A complete patent-by-patent and FDA-by-FDA investment assessment cannot be generated from the available information.

FAQs

  1. What determines whether methyl naltrexone bromide generics face an FDA stay?
  2. How do method-of-use patents on opioid-induced constipation affect generic design-around?
  3. Does formulation IP (excipients, release control, tablet characteristics) block simple ANDA workarounds for methyl naltrexone bromide?
  4. What role do settlements play in setting the generic launch date for OIC products?
  5. How does labeling scope change the economic value of an older OIC brand like methyl naltrexone bromide?

References (APA)

  1. (No cited sources were provided in the prompt.)

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