This submission takes a public policy perspective, focusing on the public return from the patent system through … competition based on the new technology after the 20-year patent monopoly period expires. The government has agreed time …-limited monopolies to encourage domestic invention (the patent system). At the end of the agreed period, the patented invention should be …

We analyze how a manufacturer with a brand-name drug close to patent expiration decides to launch a product …-line extension (an upgrade through innovation) before it faces generic competition. There are two types of physicians: loyal … physicians always prescribe first the product-line extension and then either the off-patent drug or a generic drug while the non …