Levitra patent to expire in October 2018

The process of drug development is very costly and time consuming. For new drug development, pharmaceutical companies can apply for a patent anywhere along the development of the drug. Once the patent expires, this opens the gate to other companies to compete and create an inexpensive generic version of that drug. Similar to Viagra and Cialis, Levitra will lose its patent on October 31st 2018.

What is Levitra?

Levitra is a prescription only medication used to treat adult men with erectile dysfunction. It was first introduced into the market in 2003, a few years after Viagra (Sildenafil) in 1998 and around the same time as Cialis (Tadalafil). It is a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor. The PDE-5 enzyme found in the blood vessel walls regulates the blood flow to the penis. So, by inhibiting the enzyme, the blood vessels start to relax causing an increase in blood flow to the penis. This combines with sexual stimulation helps to maintain an erection.

Duration of Levitra

Levitra usually takes between 30-60 minutes to take effect and the duration can remain for up to 5 hours. This does not mean that you will have an erection continuously, but means you will be more responsive to sexual stimulation within this time period. When compared with its alternatives in terms of duration, Levitra falls right in the middle as Viagra lasts up to 4 hours, and Cialis lasts for up to 36 hours.

Dosage

Levitra is available in 4 dosage levels: 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg and 20mg dosage.
Most men find that using the 10mg is usually effective.

Can Levitra be used for premature ejaculation?

In some countries Levitra is licensed to treat premature ejaculation and can increase the duration of sexual intercourse before ejaculation. However, Levitra it is not officially licensed in the UK for this use. We suggest that if you want to delay ejaculation, you should use Priligy tablets, which are available to buy online discreetly and confidently at Pharmica.

Generic Vardenafil

Bayer’s two initial patents from 2002 and 2010 both expire in October 2018. When this happens, other manufacturers will be free to produce their own versions of vardenafil, which could either be given new brand names or simply sold under the name of the active ingredient Vardenafil. This means it will work in exactly the same way as Levitra. As with Viagra in 2013 and Cialis in 2017, we can expect the price for Vardenafil to significantly drop when generic manufacturers products come to market.

Branded Levitra or Generic Vardenafil?

Generic medicines must contain the same active ingredient and have the same effect as their branded counterpart, as per EU regulations. The cosmetic features of the tablets, packaging and name may differ, however the drug must be medically identical to the branded version. Although patients can become accustomed to the familiar packaging of a trusted medicine and may be hesitant to make the switch to a generic alternative, most patients who pay for the medicine privately will opt for a generic version when there is a significant difference in price.

Neither of these medications are available over the counter, which means you need a prescription to buy them. You can buy both Levitra and Vardenafil from Pharmica, discreetly and confidently should you choose to buy it from an online reputable pharmacy.