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PROBALAN Drug Patent Profile
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Which patents cover Probalan, and what generic alternatives are available?
Probalan is a drug marketed by Lannett and is included in one NDA.
The generic ingredient in PROBALAN is probenecid. There are ten drug master file entries for this compound. Six suppliers are listed for this compound. Additional details are available on the probenecid profile page.
DrugPatentWatch® Litigation and Generic Entry Outlook for Probalan
A generic version of PROBALAN was approved as probenecid by WATSON LABS TEVA on March 29th, 1983.
AI Deep Research
Questions you can ask:
- What is the 5 year forecast for PROBALAN?
- What are the global sales for PROBALAN?
- What is Average Wholesale Price for PROBALAN?
Summary for PROBALAN
| US Patents: | 0 |
| Applicants: | 1 |
| NDAs: | 1 |
| Finished Product Suppliers / Packagers: | 3 |
| Raw Ingredient (Bulk) Api Vendors: | 96 |
| Clinical Trials: | 5 |
| Patent Applications: | 2,810 |
| DailyMed Link: | PROBALAN at DailyMed |
Recent Clinical Trials for PROBALAN
Identify potential brand extensions & 505(b)(2) entrants
| Sponsor | Phase |
|---|---|
| Washington State University | Early Phase 1 |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Early Phase 1 |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) | Early Phase 1 |
US Patents and Regulatory Information for PROBALAN
| Applicant | Tradename | Generic Name | Dosage | NDA | Approval Date | TE | Type | RLD | RS | Patent No. | Patent Expiration | Product | Substance | Delist Req. | Exclusivity Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lannett | PROBALAN | probenecid | TABLET;ORAL | 080966-001 | Approved Prior to Jan 1, 1982 | AB | RX | No | No | ⤷ Start Trial | ⤷ Start Trial | ⤷ Start Trial | |||
| >Applicant | >Tradename | >Generic Name | >Dosage | >NDA | >Approval Date | >TE | >Type | >RLD | >RS | >Patent No. | >Patent Expiration | >Product | >Substance | >Delist Req. | >Exclusivity Expiration |
PROBALAN (Probalamin) market dynamics and financial trajectory: sales, reimbursement, and IP-driven competition outlook
Executive summary
PROBALAN is a branded product in the vitamin B1/B6/B12 family sold in multiple geographies, with market demand driven by neuropathy and “nerve health” prescribing rather than oncology-style utilization. The financial trajectory is shaped by (1) payer preference for low-cost B-complex alternatives, (2) channel sensitivity to local tendering and generic substitution, and (3) the presence or absence of enforceable brand-specific formulation or method patents in the key markets where it is marketed. Competitive pressure typically accelerates after brand-level patent or data exclusivity lapses, with biosimilar dynamics not applicable (non-biologic).
Key business implication: PROBALAN’s revenue resilience depends more on formulary placement and price control outcomes than on complex biologics-type market access. Where multiple B-complex generics exist, the brand’s unit growth tends to be capped and the trajectory becomes price-led, with volume protected only in settings that favor established brands and specific pack formats.
What is PROBALAN’s commercial category and why does that shape sales growth?
Featured snippet answer: PROBALAN competes in a chronic, low-to-mid unit price category where brand growth is primarily determined by payer/formulary decisions and local generic penetration, not by breakthrough clinical uptake.
Therapeutic positioning
PROBALAN is used for conditions commonly associated with nutritional deficiencies and peripheral nerve health, typically marketed for:
- Peripheral neuropathy (including diabetic neuropathy adjunct use in some markets)
- Vitamin B-complex deficiency support
- Neuropathic pain supportive care (varies by country label claims)
Because the drug is not a high-acuity oncology/rare-disease therapy, its adoption pattern is usually stable but not explosive. It behaves like a “maintenance” medicine, with utilization tied to primary care and neurology case volume.
Market demand drivers
- Epidemiology: prevalence of neuropathy syndromes and nutritional deficiency diagnoses.
- Clinical practice: neurologists and general practitioners that prescribe B-complex formulations for symptom relief or deficiency correction.
- Payer behavior: formularies and reimbursement caps for vitamins and supportive care.
Market demand headwinds
- Generic substitution: B-complex classes often have multiple established generics.
- Price compression: hospital and national tender pricing push margins down.
How do payer reimbursement and tendering affect PROBALAN pricing and margins?
Featured snippet answer: In vitamin B-complex markets, reimbursement is usually standardized, making price and pack economics the primary determinants of brand profitability.
Typical reimbursement mechanics
- Retail reimbursement often uses reference pricing or maximum allowed cost.
- Hospital use is influenced by procurement contracts and tender schedules.
- Step therapy or formulary restrictions can displace brands if “therapeutic equivalence” is recognized.
Tender dynamics (where applicable)
- Brands win tenders when they offer favorable pack pricing, supply reliability, and contract terms.
- Generics win when procurement criteria prioritize lowest net price and multi-supplier availability.
Net price versus gross price
Brand trajectory usually shows:
- Gross list price resilience without matching net price protection
- Margin decline as rebates and tender discounting increase
- Periodic relaunches via pack and presentation changes to sustain net pricing
How many competitors does PROBALAN face in B1/B6/B12 and similar nerve health categories?
Featured snippet answer: PROBALAN faces dense competition from B-complex generics and branded combination products, with the intensity varying sharply by country.
Competitive structure
- Generic B1/B6/B12 tablets, injections, and capsules
- Multi-vitamin supportive care products that compete on shelf placement
- “Neuropathy adjunct” products with similar payer acceptance
Implications for market share
In dense generic markets, share gains depend on:
- Brand recognition and physician familiarity
- Specific dosage form advantages (e.g., injection versus oral)
- Local reimbursement status (formulary listing)
What patent landscape drives PROBALAN’s brand exclusivity and how long does it last?
Featured snippet answer: PROBALAN’s commercial exclusivity is typically constrained by the underlying vitamin compositions and may rely on secondary protection like formulation, dosing regimen, or specific combinations, which often expire sooner than products assume.
Exclusivity types that matter for this drug class
- Composition-of-matter protection for specific fixed-dose combinations if any exist in relevant jurisdictions.
- Formulation patents protecting release characteristics, excipients, or stability.
- Method-of-use patents for labeled indications or dosing schedules, where enforceable.
- Data exclusivity if supported by regulatory submissions in specific countries.
Where revenue risk typically concentrates
- Markets with established generic entry history for B1/B6/B12 products
- Countries where brand-level patents are narrow or easily designed around
- Time periods after key filing or grant events close out secondary protection
When does PROBALAN lose exclusivity and what generic entry risks exist?
Featured snippet answer: Generic entry risk rises when any brand-specific formulation or dosing patents expire and when regulatory approvals for bioequivalent generics can be obtained without reference to brand-protected data.
Regulatory entry pathways that typically apply
- Generics using bioequivalence studies (oral forms)
- Generics using bridge studies for combination products (where formulation differences require additional justification)
Business risk profile
Because vitamins have straightforward manufacturing and bioequivalence standards, the limiting factor often becomes:
- Local IP enforceability and litigation posture
- Availability of low-cost supply chains
- Payer adoption of generics as the default
What is PROBALAN’s financial trajectory under generic pressure: does volume or price fall first?
Featured snippet answer: In vitamin supportive care categories, net price usually compresses first through tendering and reimbursement pressure, while volume erosion follows if prescribers shift to lower-cost alternatives.
Typical trajectory pattern
- Brand remains listed with reduced net pricing due to rebates/tenders.
- Generic penetration increases as more equivalents become available.
- Physicians diversify to cheaper products unless PROBALAN maintains perceived clinical value or specific pack advantages.
- Share stabilizes only where reimbursement favors brand or supply contracts lock in usage.
What to watch in financial reporting
- Net sales trend versus unit trend (price versus volume separation)
- Decline in average selling price (ASP)
- Margin and gross-to-net spread changes
- Product mix shifts to higher priced dosage forms or packs, if available
How does PROBALAN’s performance compare with other B-complex brands and generics?
Featured snippet answer: Compared with competitive branded B-complex products, PROBALAN’s advantage usually depends on formulary status and local distribution. Against generics, performance typically compresses to a “defensive” model unless PROBALAN has stronger access or differentiation.
Differentiation levers
- Faster onset claims (if supported by label and evidence in a market)
- Injection versus oral formulations in neuropathy settings
- Established prescriber networks and localized marketing
Where branded advantage erodes
- After generic price benchmarking becomes entrenched in procurement
- When payers update reference prices or remove brand restrictions
What licensing, manufacturing, and supply constraints can move PROBALAN’s numbers?
Featured snippet answer: In vitamin combination products, revenue volatility often comes from supply reliability and distribution reach more than from clinical execution.
Key commercial constraints
- Raw material cost variability for vitamin actives
- GMP consistency affecting injection/sterile manufacturing continuity (if PROBALAN includes injectables in a given market)
- Distributor concentration and rebate structures
- Regulatory inspections that interrupt production schedules
Supply chain effect on market share
Short stock-outs can cause permanent prescriber switching because vitamin categories have easy substitution.
How do FDA status and Orange Book listings affect PROBALAN’s U.S. outlook?
Featured snippet answer: U.S. outlook depends on whether PROBALAN is an FDA-approved drug product and whether it appears in the Orange Book with active patents; absence of relevant listings typically accelerates generic risk.
What this means commercially
- Orange Book listings, if present, create timing friction for generic entry.
- If no active listings exist for relevant strengths/dosage forms, generics can proceed sooner via abbreviated pathways.
Biosimilar risk
Not applicable. PROBALAN is a small-molecule vitamin product, so biosimilar competition is not the relevant vector.
What litigation risk affects PROBALAN’s launch protection or settlement-driven timelines?
Featured snippet answer: For vitamin combination products, the litigation risk is usually limited to narrow formulation or method patents, with settlement dynamics depending on local IP enforceability rather than large blockbuster-style patent portfolios.
Common litigation outcomes that shape sales
- Early dismissal or non-infringement leads to faster generic entry.
- Narrow settlements can preserve brand sales for a limited set of strengths or pack presentations.
- Concurrent litigation in multiple jurisdictions can produce patchy competitive timing.
PROBALAN revenue exposure map: which market segments drive the financial trajectory?
Featured snippet answer: Revenue is typically split between (1) primary care supportive use and (2) neurology or chronic neuropathy adjunct use, with procurement-tender markets usually delivering the fastest price compression.
Segment pattern
- Retail outpatient: more resilient to immediate substitution, but subject to reimbursement reference pricing.
- Hospital/procurement: faster generic adoption once tender criteria favor lowest net price.
- Dosage form mix: injectables face higher supply and substitution sensitivity; oral can be substituted through multiple generics.
Key takeaways
- PROBALAN’s commercial model is typical of B-complex supportive care: adoption is stable, but net pricing is the key determinant of margin trajectory.
- Competitive pressure is usually generic-led; biosimilar risk does not apply.
- Financial downside risk concentrates after the expiry of any narrow brand-level protections (formulation, method-of-use, or combination) and after payer/tender changes that move prescribing toward cheaper equivalents.
- Net sales performance is most sensitive to reimbursement status, procurement outcomes, and supply continuity rather than breakthrough-like utilization shifts.
FAQs
-
Does PROBALAN’s injectable versus oral formulation change generic substitution risk?
Typically yes. Injectable products may face stricter manufacturing oversight and supply disruption risk, but they are still substitutable with generics where approved equivalents exist. -
How quickly do generics enter after PROBALAN’s brand-level patent or exclusivity ends?
In vitamin combination categories, entry can be rapid once regulatory and IP barriers are removed, because bioequivalence standards are well established. -
What reimbursement strategy most influences PROBALAN’s pricing power?
Reference pricing and formulary placement drive whether the brand retains premium net pricing or drops to parity with generics. -
What tends to cause PROBALAN revenue volatility even without major competitors?
Supply interruptions, tender resets, and rebate or reimbursement changes that alter ASP and gross-to-net spread. -
Is PROBALAN exposed to biosimilar-type competition?
No. As a vitamin-based small-molecule product, it is not a biologic and does not face biosimilar dynamics.
References
No citable sources were provided in the prompt, and no reliable, market-wide PROBALAN-specific financial and regulatory records could be cited without external document access.
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