Last Updated: August 7, 2026

CLINICAL TRIALS PROFILE FOR PILOCARPINE


✉ Email this page to a colleague

« Back to Dashboard


505(b)(2) Clinical Trials for PILOCARPINE

This table shows clinical trials for potential 505(b)(2) applications. See the next table for all clinical trials
Trial Type Trial ID Title Status Sponsor Phase Start Date Summary
OTC NCT02935894 ↗ Investigating the Stability, Variability and Mechanism of Incorporation of Lipid Mediators Into Eccrine Sweat Completed University of California, Davis N/A 2016-11-28 The purpose of this study is to see what the differences are in sweat (amount and small molecule content) collected from different sites of the body and by different methods of sweat stimulation. Additionally, the investigators want to know whether the amount and small molecule content of the sweat is the same in an individual over time, and the same across individuals at a given time. Finally, the investigators want to know how consumption of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen will affect the inflammatory mediator content of sweat and how that compares to blood. This information will help to better understand the composition and behavior of sweat and assess its potential utility as a routine clinical tool in skin research.
OTC NCT02935894 ↗ Investigating the Stability, Variability and Mechanism of Incorporation of Lipid Mediators Into Eccrine Sweat Completed USDA, Western Human Nutrition Research Center N/A 2016-11-28 The purpose of this study is to see what the differences are in sweat (amount and small molecule content) collected from different sites of the body and by different methods of sweat stimulation. Additionally, the investigators want to know whether the amount and small molecule content of the sweat is the same in an individual over time, and the same across individuals at a given time. Finally, the investigators want to know how consumption of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen will affect the inflammatory mediator content of sweat and how that compares to blood. This information will help to better understand the composition and behavior of sweat and assess its potential utility as a routine clinical tool in skin research.
>Trial Type >Trial ID >Title >Status >Phase >Start Date >Summary

All Clinical Trials for PILOCARPINE

Trial ID Title Status Sponsor Phase Start Date Summary
NCT00003139 ↗ Pilocarpine in Preventing Mucositis and Dry Mouth in Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer Completed National Cancer Institute (NCI) Phase 3 1998-03-01 RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as pilocarpine may protect normal cells from the side effects of radiation therapy. It is not yet known if pilocarpine may be effective in preventing mucositis and dry mouth in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized, double-blinded, phase III trial to study the effectiveness of pilocarpine in preventing mucositis and dry mouth in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
NCT00003139 ↗ Pilocarpine in Preventing Mucositis and Dry Mouth in Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer Completed Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Phase 3 1998-03-01 RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as pilocarpine may protect normal cells from the side effects of radiation therapy. It is not yet known if pilocarpine may be effective in preventing mucositis and dry mouth in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized, double-blinded, phase III trial to study the effectiveness of pilocarpine in preventing mucositis and dry mouth in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
NCT00003686 ↗ Pilocarpine in Treating Patients With Dry Mouth Caused by Opioids Terminated NCIC Clinical Trials Group Phase 3 1998-05-22 RATIONALE: Pilocarpine may help to relieve dry mouth in patients receiving opioids for cancer therapy. It is not yet known whether pilocarpine is more effective than no further treatment for this condition. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of pilocarpine in treating patients who have dry mouth caused by opioids.
NCT00168181 ↗ Trial Comparing Oral Pilocarpine (Salagen) Versus Submandibular Salivary Gland Transfer Protocol, For the Prevention of Radiation (XRT) Induced Xerostomia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Completed CancerCare Manitoba Phase 3 2002-04-01 This is a study to see whether the drug Salagen or salivary gland transfer is better for the prevention of dryness of the mouth in patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiation treatment.
>Trial ID >Title >Status >Phase >Start Date >Summary

Clinical Trial Conditions for PILOCARPINE

Condition Name

Condition Name for PILOCARPINE
Intervention Trials
Presbyopia 12
Xerostomia 7
Dry Mouth 6
Glaucoma 5
[disabled in preview] 1
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Condition MeSH

Condition MeSH for PILOCARPINE
Intervention Trials
Xerostomia 14
Presbyopia 13
Glaucoma 8
Head and Neck Neoplasms 3
[disabled in preview] 1
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Clinical Trial Locations for PILOCARPINE

Trials by Country

Trials by Country for PILOCARPINE
Location Trials
United States 117
Canada 11
China 3
Korea, Republic of 2
Taiwan 2
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Trials by US State

Trials by US State for PILOCARPINE
Location Trials
California 8
Texas 7
New York 7
Colorado 5
Ohio 5
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Clinical Trial Progress for PILOCARPINE

Clinical Trial Phase

Clinical Trial Phase for PILOCARPINE
Clinical Trial Phase Trials
PHASE4 2
PHASE3 1
Phase 4 6
[disabled in preview] 14
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Clinical Trial Status

Clinical Trial Status for PILOCARPINE
Clinical Trial Phase Trials
Completed 26
Recruiting 13
Not yet recruiting 6
[disabled in preview] 3
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Clinical Trial Sponsors for PILOCARPINE

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name for PILOCARPINE
Sponsor Trials
Roxane Laboratories 4
National Cancer Institute (NCI) 3
Eyenovia Inc. 2
[disabled in preview] 2
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Sponsor Type

Sponsor Type for PILOCARPINE
Sponsor Trials
Other 61
Industry 20
NIH 4
[disabled in preview] 1
This preview shows a limited data set
Subscribe for full access, or try a Trial

Pilocarpine Clinical Trials Update and Market Forecast: What to Know on Formulation, Indications, and Competitive Exclusivity

Last updated: July 30, 2026

Pilocarpine is an established cholinergic agonist used mainly for dry mouth in Sjögren’s syndrome (oral tablets/solution) and for ocular conditions via pilocarpine eye drops. The current clinical-trials footprint is dominated by reformulation, dosing, and device-free topical/oral line extensions rather than new first-in-class mechanisms. Near-term market growth is expected to be driven by demand stability in Sjögren’s and ongoing substitution away from older brands in select geographies, with pricing pressure from generics in most developed markets.


What is pilocarpine used for and where is it sold commercially?

Which indications define pilocarpine demand

Pilocarpine’s commercially meaningful indication set is narrow and has stayed stable for years:

  • Sjögren’s syndrome–related xerostomia (dry mouth): oral pilocarpine tablets are the dominant commercial use case in many markets.
  • Ocular use (eye drops): historically for glaucoma and ocular hypertension, and as a miotic for pupil constriction in select clinical contexts.

How is pilocarpine administered

  • Oral: immediate-release tablets or oral solutions depending on country.
  • Ocular topical: aqueous eye drops (concentration varies by product).

Who typically sells pilocarpine

The market is characterized by:

  • Brand incumbents in some countries with ongoing generic entry in others
  • Multiple generic manufacturers for oral and ophthalmic products
  • Limited patent moat in most jurisdictions due to long-established active ingredient protection

What is the latest clinical trials update for pilocarpine?

A current, drug-specific trials dashboard requires a definitive, up-to-date registry dataset (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) and exact search cut. Without a specific registry snapshot in this environment, a complete, accurate update cannot be produced.


Which pilocarpine clinical trials are most likely to matter for market timing?

Even without a live registry refresh, the market-relevant trial categories for pilocarpine usually fall into:

1) Bioequivalence and reformulation trials

  • Immediate-release oral reformulations
  • Salt/formulation changes aimed at improving stability and taste/mucosal tolerability
  • Extended-release strategies in dry-mouth supportive settings

Market impact:

  • Drives product availability and substitution, not mechanism validation

2) Ocular product development

  • Topical compatibility and preservative-system optimization
  • Patient-usage and adherence studies
  • Device-contact tolerance or comfort studies

Market impact:

  • Supports line extension and helps maintain share against generics

3) Expanded patient segments within existing indications

  • Subgroup efficacy and adherence studies in Sjögren’s
  • Comparative studies versus other symptomatic therapies

Market impact:

  • Can shift payer adoption in tightly regulated formularies

What patents protect pilocarpine formulations, dosing, and methods of use?

Pilocarpine is a mature molecule with broad historical exposure. Patent landscapes for pilocarpine are typically concentrated in:

  • Specific formulation patents (composition of matter for excipients, release profile)
  • Specific dosing regimens or therapeutic uses
  • Manufacturing processes for stable ocular or oral forms

For this topic, a complete and accurate “which patents protect what” map requires a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction patent register crosswalk and current Orange Book/Bolar entries, which is not available in a reliable way within this response.


What is the Orange Book status of pilocarpine in the US?

An accurate Orange Book status determination depends on the active ingredient submission, listed patents, dosage forms, and expiration dates tied to the current FDA listing. Without that listing snapshot, a complete and accurate status summary cannot be generated.


When does pilocarpine lose exclusivity or face generic entry risks?

Because pilocarpine’s active ingredient is long off original exclusivity in most developed markets, generic entry risk is generally “ongoing” across oral and ophthalmic products. The precise timing of:

  • last listed patent expirations,
  • exclusivity expiration windows tied to an FDA approval,
  • and any Paragraph IV litigation opportunities
    requires a live, product-linked patent/exclusivity dataset.

A complete exclusivity timeline cannot be produced without current product-level records.


How strong is the patent estate for pilocarpine versus branded competitors?

Pilocarpine’s competitive patent strength is typically:

  • Low at the active ingredient level
  • Moderate for specific formulations in particular dosage forms in particular countries
  • Weak for method-of-use unless supported by more recent clinical filings

To compare strength credibly between branded and generic competitors, a current list of relevant listed patents and their expiration dates is required, which is not present here.


What generic entry scenarios exist for pilocarpine by region?

A high-level, business-relevant view by region usually looks like:

  • US: heavy generic penetration for oral and many ophthalmic SKUs; product availability depends on listed-patent status by NDA/ANDA.
  • EU/UK: common generics across multiple markets; timing depends on local national validations and any residual formulation patents.
  • Emerging markets: often longer brand presence due to supply, regulatory dossier dependence, and pricing controls, but generic substitution is common.

A precise “scenario matrix” needs country-level authorization data.


How does pilocarpine compare with alternative therapies for dry mouth and ocular indications?

Dry mouth (Sjögren’s xerostomia) competitive set

Pilocarpine competes with:

  • Cevimeline (another muscarinic agonist) for symptomatic dry mouth
  • Symptomatic supportive therapies (saliva substitutes, hydration protocols)

Market impact:

  • Pilocarpine’s share depends on tolerability, dosing convenience, and formulary placement relative to cevimeline.

Ocular miotic/IOP management

Pilocarpine eye drops compete with:

  • Other miotics and glaucoma regimens (classes and combination products depend on market)
  • Practice patterns that favor prostaglandin analogs and fixed-combination pathways in many settings

Market impact:

  • Pilocarpine eye drops tend to be a narrower niche compared with modern first-line IOP therapies.

What manufacturing and IP barriers affect pilocarpine market access?

Typical barriers are product-form specific:

  • Ophthalmic stability and preservative system constraints
  • Sterility assurance and particle control for eye drops
  • Taste masking and dissolution performance for oral dosage forms
  • Regulatory dossier ownership and site qualification in some jurisdictions

These constraints usually do not block generic entry at a category level for pilocarpine, but they can differentiate product quality and uptake.


Market analysis and projection for pilocarpine (2026-2031)

A data-backed forecast requires baseline market size, shipment volumes, country splits, and product-level revenue by branded vs generic. None of those market-level inputs are included in the prompt, and the environment here does not permit a reliable retrieval.

A complete, quantified projection cannot be produced without introducing invented numbers.


Key Takeaways

  • Pilocarpine demand is anchored in Sjögren’s-related xerostomia and ocular topical use, with most growth tied to product availability and substitution dynamics rather than new mechanism breakthroughs.
  • Near-term clinical development is likely to emphasize formulation optimization and regulatory-ready trials rather than novel efficacy claims.
  • Generic competition is persistent in most mature markets; the main differentiator tends to be specific product/formulation IP, not active ingredient exclusivity.
  • A fully accurate clinical-trials update and market forecast require live registry and market-sizing inputs that are not present here.

FAQs

  1. Are there ongoing phase 3 trials for pilocarpine in Sjögren’s xerostomia?
  2. Which pilocarpine dosage forms face the highest generic substitution risk in the US?
  3. How does pilocarpine efficacy for dry mouth compare with cevimeline in clinical practice?
  4. Do pilocarpine eye drops face preservative-system limitations that affect approval speed?
  5. What formulation approaches (taste masking, dissolution, stability) most influence pilocarpine product competitiveness?

References

  1. (No sources were cited because no verifiable, current clinical-trials registry or FDA/Orange Book dataset was provided in the prompt.)

More… ↓

⤷  Start Trial

Make Better Decisions: Try a trial or see plans & pricing

Drugs may be covered by multiple patents or regulatory protections. All trademarks and applicant names are the property of their respective owners or licensors. Although great care is taken in the proper and correct provision of this service, thinkBiotech LLC does not accept any responsibility for possible consequences of errors or omissions in the provided data. The data presented herein is for information purposes only. There is no warranty that the data contained herein is error free. We do not provide individual investment advice. This service is not registered with any financial regulatory agency. The information we publish is educational only and based on our opinions plus our models. By using DrugPatentWatch you acknowledge that we do not provide personalized recommendations or advice. thinkBiotech performs no independent verification of facts as provided by public sources nor are attempts made to provide legal or investing advice. Any reliance on data provided herein is done solely at the discretion of the user. Users of this service are advised to seek professional advice and independent confirmation before considering acting on any of the provided information. thinkBiotech LLC reserves the right to amend, extend or withdraw any part or all of the offered service without notice.