patent cliff

American  

noun

1. a potential sharp drop in sales and revenue for a company when one of its patents expires.

   the looming patent cliffs faced by pharmaceutical firms.

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Etymology

Origin of patent cliff

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

He said these and other newer medications in its pipeline will help Shionogi manage the so-called patent cliff, when older drugs become subject to competition from cheaper generics.

From Barron's

Merck announced earlier this week that it would reorganize its human health business to create a separate division for its oncology medicines ahead of Keytruda’s patent cliff.

From Barron's

The drug faces a so-called patent cliff in 2028, when protections are set to expire, opening the door to competition from copycat drugs called biosimilars.

From Barron's

The biggest winners share another thing in common: Their businesses look set to keep growing, without an imminent patent cliff.

From The Wall Street Journal

A patent cliff is what happens when one or a few blockbuster drugs lose protection and cheaper copies flood in, knocking a hole in revenue.

From The Wall Street Journal