An Overview of Generic Skelaxin
Skelaxin® (
metaxalone) is a prescription medication used to treat muscle spasms. It belongs to a group of medications known as skeletal muscle relaxants (hence the name "Skelaxin").
Skelaxin is manufactured by Mallinckrodt, Inc., and is marketed and sold by King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Generic Skelaxin is not yet available in the United States.
When Will Generic Skelaxin Be Available?
The patents for Skelaxin currently expire in December 2021. Normally, this would be the earliest predictable date that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, several manufacturers have challenged the patents for Skelaxin, and King Pharmaceuticals has settled a lawsuit that will allow a generic manufacturer (CorePharma) to make generic Skelaxin as early as 2012. Other circumstances could still arise (such as new lawsuits) that could allow a generic version of Skelaxin to become available even earlier.
Is Metaxalone a Generic Version of Skelaxin?
No -- metaxalone is the active ingredient in Skelaxin, but is not a generic version of it. What can be confusing is that, oftentimes, the active ingredient of a drug is referred to as the "generic name." The generic name is different from a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off-patent and another company besides the original manufacturer must make the product.
