Generic Canasa

At this time, generic Canasa is not available. Canas's patent expired in 2007; however, no generic manufacturers have chosen to make a generic version of the drug in the United States.

 

Canasa Generic: An Overview

Canasa® (mesalamine) is a prescription medication that is used to treat ulcerative proctitis (a form of ulcerative colitis that affects just the rectum). It is part of a class of ulcerative colitis medications called aminosalicylates.
 
Canasa is manufactured by Axcan Pharma, Inc. The patent for Canasa has expired; however, there is no generic Canasa currently available in the United States.
 

When Will There Be a Generic Canasa?

The patent for Canasa expired in November 2007. However, no generic manufacturers have chosen to make a generic version of Canasa in the United States. This is probably due to financial reasons. It is likely that generic manufacturers do not feel that it would be profitable to make a generic version of Canasa at this time.
 
It is impossible to predict when (or even if) generic Canasa will become available.
 

Is Mesalamine a Generic Canasa?

No -- mesalamine is the active ingredient in Canasa (and several other medicines), 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." However, the generic name is different from a generic version of a medicine. 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.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;