Neurontin Vs. Generic Gabapentin

Neurontin is Pfizer's trade name for its brand of the drug Gabapentin. Generic Gabapentin products became available in 2004. The FDA has determined generic Gabapentin to be therapeutically equivalent to Neurontin. This means that Neurontin and generic Gabapentin can be expected to have the same effect on the body.

Uses

• Gabapentin, originally marketed to prevent seizures, has been prescribed widely for pain syndromes, including fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy and migraine.

Big Business

• Before generic competition, Neurontin sales exceeded $1 billion annually. According to Drug Topics magazine, in 2008 Gabapentin was ranked ninth in revenue among generics, generating over $800 million in sales.

Retail Cost Comparison

• According to drugstore.com, 90 Neurontin 600mg tablets cost $333.05. The same quantity of generic Gabapentin costs $92.99.

Generics Win a Legal Battle

• When generic Gabapentin came to market in 2004, Pfizer brought suit to block its sale, claiming patent infringement. In 2005 the New Jersey Federal District Court ruled that generic Gabapentin companies did not infringe on Pfizer's patent.

Pfizer Fights Back

• In September 2007 the Court of appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned the New Jersey District Court ruling, opening the way for a trial which may uphold Pfizer's claim of patent infringement by generic companies. As of March 2010, Gabapentin is still marketed generically.