patent cliff

American

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of patent cliff

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

It’s showing an ability to grow even through a meaningful patent cliff.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023