Generic Kaletra: An Overview
Kaletra® (
lopinavir and ritonavir) is a prescription
AIDS and
HIV medication. It belongs to a class of medications known as protease inhibitors. It actually contains two different protease inhibitors: lopinavir and
ritonavir. Ritonavir is used to increase the level of lopinavir in the blood, helping it work better.
Kaletra is made by Abbott Laboratories. It is currently under the protection of patents that prevent any generic Kaletra from being manufactured in the United States. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic Kaletra," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines may be fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. Generic Kaletra may be available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Kaletra. You should not buy any generic Kaletra until there is an approved version available.
When Will Generic Kaletra Be Available?
There are many different patents listed for Kaletra. Some may apply to the individual components (lopinavir or ritonavir), while others may apply to the combination of the two. It is difficult to predict when exactly a generic version of Kaletra may become available. The situation is very confusing due to the various patents for ritonavir, lopinavir, or the combination of the two.
Is Lopinavir and Ritonavir the Same as Generic Kaletra?
No -- lopinavir and ritonavir are the active ingredients in Kaletra, but are not a generic version of it. What can be confusing is that, oftentimes, the active ingredient of any 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.
