Bystolic contains nebivolol, which is a selective beta-blocker used for the treatment of high blood pressure or hypertension. It is important to manage high blood pressure in order to prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease.
Bystolic works by blocking certain natural substances in the body, such as epinephrine, on the heart and blood vessels, according to WebMD. This action lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and strain on the heart.
Typically, the dosage of Bystolic is 5 mg to 40 mg, which is advised to be taken orally once a day.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Bystolic in December 2007. Allergan, an Irish pharmaceutical company, received the FDA approval of Bystolic 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg. The agency approved Bystolic 20 mg in October 2008, according to Drugs.com.
Is there a generic drug for Bystolic?
The FDA has approved generic versions of Bystolic but this does not mean that the products will necessarily be commercially available, possibly due to drug patents or exclusivity. Generic drugs for Bystolic are available in other nations, which are much cheaper than the brand-name version.
Ani Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs Ltd., Indchemie Health, and Torrent Pharmaceuticals have received the approval to develop and market generic drugs for Bystolic, according to Drugs.com.
In 2017, Indian drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals received approval from the FDA to market a generic version of Bystolic.
Bystolic will lose protection from its last patent on December 17, 2021. Post that, generic drugs for Bystolic will be able to launch three months prior to the patent expiry.
“Forest Laboratories, one of the original developers of Bystolic, struck the patent deal before a series of M&A deals brought the drug to AbbVie,” according to Fierce Pharma.
On September 17, New Jersey-based drug company Camber Pharmaceuticals announces the launch of generic nebivolol tablets. Other drug companies such as Actavis, Alkem, and Amerigen will score licenses to market their generic versions of Bystolic, according to the agency.
