Edluar Generic: When Will Generic Zolpidem Be Available?

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

This page is aggregated from FDA records, court filings and company announcements. Coded and designed by

Updated October 9, 2026 How we build our data

Edluar Generic at a Glance

Four quick answers from FDA records and our estimate.

  1. When is the first generic expected? TBD no date yet What opens the door is not settled yet
  2. Has the FDA approved a generic? April 2007 9 companies approved
  3. When does the last patent end? February 2031 2 patents listed with the FDA
  4. Can you buy a generic today? Yes 55 companies list one

Explains

PharmD, BCPS · Clinical pharmacist Updated

It already is. A generic zolpidem tartrate is listed for sale by 55 companies, so ask your pharmacy whether it can fill your prescription with one.

What should I do now?

Ask your pharmacy whether it can fill your prescription with a generic. It may look different from Edluar, but the active ingredient, strength and form are the same. What a generic means for you

Our month is only an estimate based on available information, so we never name a day.

Edluar by the Numbers

Reason
Launch expectedA generic maker is expected to launch around then.
How sure
Not rated Too early to rate.
Price competition
Moderate 2 companies have filed, 1 first in line
Brand sales
$3M a yearSmaller seller
  • FDA approved 2009 March 2009 FDA Orange Book
  • Patents listed 2 last runs to February 2031 FDA Orange Book
  • Generics FDA-approved 9 companies, the first approved April 2007 FDA Orange Book
  • Pharmacies pay $15.48 per tablet, up 11% in a year NADAC, October 2026
  • Medicare Part D spent $822.4K in 2025, for 274 people CMS Part D Spending by Drug

Edluar’s Road to a Generic

Edluar has had the market to itself since the FDA approved it in March 2009 (Viatris Specialty LLC). Its 2 listed patents run to February 2031. Generic companies have challenged its patents with the FDA since April 2010.

A generic maker is expected to launch around then.

Brand alone on the market Since FDA approval, March 2009
Patent 9,597,281 Expires April 2027
Patent 9,265,720 Expires February 2031
Brand alone on the market Patent on a use Swipe the chart sideways to see every year.

Each bar runs from the brand’s approval to the day that protection ends. The green band is our projection for the first generic: a month, never a day, because legal dates move and a generic reaches shelves days to weeks after it is allowed. Sources: FDA Orange Book; the expected month from court records and company announcements.

Edluar Patents and FDA Protections

Every patent and exclusivity the FDA Orange Book lists for Edluar’s own applications. A protection running past the expected month does not mean the date is wrong: a settlement or a court ruling can let a generic in before a patent ends, and a patent on one formulation or use does not block every generic.

Patents listed with the FDA (2)
PatentWhat it coversProtects untilStatus
9,597,281 A way of using it (U-674) April 2027 Active
9,265,720 A way of using it (U-674) February 2031 Active

Source: FDA Orange Book, application 021997. Patent numbers open the patent on Google Patents.

Patent Challenges to Edluar

The first patent challenge to Edluar reached the FDA in April 2010, from one company on that first day. The FDA approved a first challenger’s generic in August 2016, and the list records no sale by a first challenger yet.

What Is a Patent Challenge?

A generic company that wants to sell its version before Edluar’s patents run out can tell the FDA that a patent is invalid, or that its version does not infringe it. The FDA calls this a “Paragraph IV certification.” The brand company usually sues, and the FDA then generally cannot approve that generic for up to 30 months while the case runs. To reward going first, the companies that challenge first can get a 180-day head start: the FDA cannot approve the generics that came after them until it ends.

Patent challenges on the FDA’s list (1)
ProductFirst challengedCompanies that day180-day head startFirst challenger’s genericChallenged patents run to
ApprovedOn sale
Sublingual tablets, 5 mg and 10 mg April 2010 1 company Head start no longer applies decided July 2020 August 2016 Not yet September 2018

Source: the FDA’s Paragraph IV Patent Certifications list, as of September 2026. The FDA began posting the 180-day decisions and the first challenger’s approval and first sale in June 2019: an older entry it has not updated since reads “Not posted”, and “Not yet” means the list records no such event. “Companies that day” is the FDA’s count of challenges that arrived on the first day.

Who Is Lined Up to Make Generic Zolpidem Tartrate

Three steps stand between a brand and a generic you can buy: a company applies to the FDA, the FDA approves it, and the company starts selling it.

1

Applied to the FDA

At least 9 companies have applied to the FDA to make generic zolpidem tartrate.

First in line. One of them was first in line: the first company to challenge the brand’s patents can earn 180 days on the market before the other generics, which is why being first matters.

Generic companies have challenged Edluar’s patents with the FDA since April 2010: see the patent challenges.

2

Approved by the FDA

The FDA has approved generic versions from 9 companies, the first in April 2007. Approved is not the same as on sale: patents, a settlement or the company’s own plans can still hold a launch.

3

For Sale in Pharmacies

Yes. A generic zolpidem tartrate is listed for sale by 55 companies. Ask your pharmacy whether it can fill your prescription with it.

A-S Medication Solutions, ACI Healthcare USA, Inc, Advanced Rx of Tennessee, LLC, Advanced Rx Pharmacy of Tennessee, LLC, American Health Packaging, Aphena Pharma Solutions - Tennessee, LLC and 34 more

Generic versions the FDA has approved (27 companies)
CompanyFirst approvedStrengthsRated
Sandoz Inc April 20075MG, 6.25MG, 10MG, 12.5MGAB
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd April 20075MG, 6.25MG, 10MG, 12.5MGAB
The Acme Laboratories Ltd April 20075MG, 10MGAB
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd May 20075MG, 10MGAB
Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd August 20075MG, 10MGAB
Chartwell Molecular Holdings LLC July 20125MG, 10MGAB
Lupin Ltd September 20136.25MG, 12.5MGAB
Breckenridge Pharmaceutical Inc June 20206.25MG, 12.5MGAB
Umedica Laboratories Pvt Ltd May 20267.5MGAB
Apotex Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 6.25MG, 10MG, 12.5MG–
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Rising Pharma Holding Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Senores Pharmaceuticals Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Strides Pharma Global Pte Ltd discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Synthon Pharmaceuticals Ltd discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Watson Laboratories Inc discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Yung Shin Pharmaceutical Industrial Co Ltd discontinued April 20075MG, 10MG–
Wockhardt Ltd discontinued May 20075MG, 10MG–
Invagen Pharmaceuticals Inc discontinued September 20075MG, 10MG–
Hikma Pharmaceuticals discontinued April 20085MG, 10MG–
Strides Pharma International AG discontinued November 20085MG, 10MG–
Actavis Elizabeth LLC An Indirect Wholly Owned Sub Of Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc discontinued October 20106.25MG, 12.5MG–
Ph Health Ltd discontinued December 20106.25MG, 12.5MG–
Synthon Pharmaceuticals Inc discontinued April 20116.25MG, 12.5MG–
Actavis Laboratories Fl Inc discontinued March 20136.25MG, 12.5MG–

Sources: how many companies have applied, from court records and company announcements; approved generics from the FDA Orange Book; tentative approvals from Drugs@FDA; what is for sale from the FDA NDC Directory. The FDA does not disclose an application before it approves it (21 CFR 314.430).

Edluar Price: What Pharmacies Pay and What Generics Usually Do

What Pharmacies Pay for Edluar 10 mg sl tablet

$15.48 per tablet in October 2026, up 11% from a year earlier.

Hover over or tap anywhere on the chart to see that month’s price.

See the numbers
MonthPharmacies paid per tablet
October 2026$15.48
September 2026$15.48
August 2026$15.54
July 2026$15.55
June 2026$15.56
May 2026$15.59
April 2026$15.56
March 2026$15.56
February 2026$15.56
January 2026$15.56
February 2024$13.95
January 2024$13.29

NADAC: the national average price retail pharmacies pay to buy the medicine (CMS survey, updated weekly), the last price of each month for one package. It is not what you pay: that depends on your insurance or discount card.

What a Generic Could Cost

What Pharmacies Pay for Edluar Today$15.48per tablet · October 2026
Our Estimate for Generic Edluarunder $0.77per tablet once generics reach pharmacies, over 95% less than today

How we estimate it. We start from what pharmacies pay for Edluar today: $15.48 per tablet for Edluar 10 mg sl tablet in October 2026, from the national NADAC survey. Then we apply the FDA’s finding of how far that price usually falls as generic companies join: about 31% with one company, 44% with two, 73% with four and over 95% with six or more (the typical drop for every drug whose first generic came out from 2015 to 2017). Edluar has 9 companies lined up, so our estimate uses the figure for six or more companies. More companies would bring the price lower; fewer, less of a drop.

Dollar figures apply FDA’s median drops to the $15.48 pharmacies pay per tablet today. An estimate from the pattern, not a price quote: what you pay depends on your insurance or discount card.

Median prices pharmacies paid for the generic (invoice prices), compared with the brand’s price before generic entry, from FDA’s 2019 analysis “Generic Competition and Drug Prices”. At the manufacturer’s price FDA found steeper drops (about 39%, 54%, 79% and over 95%), the figures quoted elsewhere on this tracker. A typical pattern, not a price quote for this medicine.

What Medicare and Medicaid Spend on Edluar

Big public spending is part of why generic makers line up for a medicine, and why its first generic matters beyond the pharmacy counter. Figures are before manufacturer rebates, which are confidential.

Medicare Part D Spending

What Medicare drug plans spent on Edluar, before manufacturer rebates.

$244.4K
January to March 2026, the latest CMS has posted
For 214 people, about $575 per prescription fill
$822.4K
2025, the whole year
For 274 people, about $555 per prescription fill
See the numbers
PeriodSpendingPeoplePer fill
January to March 2026$244,364214$574.97
2025$822,432274$555.32

Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug, matched by the brand name Edluar only, so no generic is counted in it. What CMS says it is used for: Zolpidem is used for a short time to treat a certain sleep problem (insomnia). If you have trouble falling asleep, it helps you fall asleep faster, so you can get a better night's rest.

Edluar Strengths and Forms

StrengthFormHow it is takenApprovedStatus
10MGTabletSublingualMarch 2009Prescription reference product
5MGTabletSublingualMarch 2009Prescription reference product

Source: FDA Orange Book, Viatris Specialty LLC. Listed for sale today by Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Viatris Specialty LLC (FDA NDC Directory).

Edluar NDC Codes and Packages

Each Edluar package sold today has its own NDC, the product number printed on the box and on the pharmacy label. Open one to see that package’s details, what pharmacies pay for it and its patent timeline.

Edluar packages (7)
NDCProductPackageCompany
00037-6010-02ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 10 mg/1 tabletbox of 20 blister packs of 2 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6010-30ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 10 mg/1 tabletcarton of 3 blister packs of 10 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6010-93ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 10 mg/1 tabletcarton of 5 blister packs of 6 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6010-93ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 10 mg/1 tabletcarton of 5 blister packs of 6 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6050-30ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 5 mg/1 tabletcarton of 3 blister packs of 10 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6050-93ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 5 mg/1 tabletcarton of 5 blister packs of 6 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC
00037-6050-93ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE 5 mg/1 tabletcarton of 5 blister packs of 6 tabletsViatris Specialty LLC

Source: the FDA NDC Directory, current listings only. Only packages sold under Edluar’s own FDA approval (NDA 21997) are listed, never a generic. Some codes belong to companies that repackage Edluar: it is the same medicine in a different package.

What a Generic Edluar Means for You

Nothing Changes Until It Is in Pharmacies

A generic is listed for sale now, so your pharmacy may already be able to fill your prescription with it.

Your Pharmacy May Switch You Automatically

Every state lets pharmacists fill a brand-name prescription with an FDA-approved generic rated as equivalent to it, and about 19 states require them to, unless your prescriber writes “dispense as written” or “brand medically necessary” on the prescription. Some states ask the pharmacist to tell you, or to get your OK first. A study of every state’s law has the details.

It Will Probably Look Different

US trademark law does not let a generic look exactly like the brand, so the color, shape or markings usually change. The active ingredient, strength and form are the same. An “authorized generic,” made by or for the brand’s own company, can look identical. The FDA explains.

Your Insurance May Change Too

Once a lower-cost version is available, many insurance plans charge more for the brand, or stop covering it. Your plan’s drug list (formulary) says how.

Questions people ask about Edluar

Is there a generic for Edluar right now?

Yes. The FDA NDC Directory lists a generic zolpidem tartrate from 55 companies. Ask your pharmacy whether it can fill your prescription with it.

When will Edluar go generic?

It already has. The FDA NDC Directory lists a generic zolpidem tartrate from 55 companies, so ask your pharmacy whether it can fill your prescription with one.

Will generic zolpidem tartrate be the same as Edluar?

Yes in the ways that matter: the same active ingredient, strength and form, with proof that it reaches your blood the same way. Inactive ingredients can differ, which is why some people notice a different look or taste.

How much will the generic cost?

Nobody can say for sure before launch. At least 9 companies have applied to the FDA to make it. In the FDA’s study of past launches, pharmacies paid over 95% less once six or more companies sold a generic, which would take the $15.48 pharmacies pay per tablet for Edluar today to under $0.77. That is a pattern from past launches, not a prediction for this one.

Has the FDA approved a generic Edluar?

Yes. The FDA Orange Book lists approved generic versions from 9 companies, the first approved in April 2007: Sandoz Inc, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, The Acme Laboratories Ltd, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd and 5 more. Approved is not the same as on sale: patents, a settlement or the company’s own plans can still hold a launch.

When does the Edluar patent expire?

The FDA Orange Book lists 2 patents for Edluar; the last runs to February 2031. A patent date is not the launch date: settlements and court rulings often bring a generic earlier, and FDA approval or a company’s own plans can make it later. The expected window on this page (a date that is not known yet) weighs all of that.

Has anyone challenged the Edluar patents?

Yes. The first patent challenge to Edluar reached the FDA in April 2010, from one company on that first day. The FDA approved a first challenger’s generic in August 2016, and the list records no sale by a first challenger yet. A patent challenge (a “Paragraph IV certification”) is a generic company telling the FDA that a patent listed for the brand is invalid or will not be infringed by its version. The first companies to file one can earn a 180-day head start, during which the FDA cannot approve the generics that filed after them.

How much does Edluar cost now?

Pharmacies paid about $15.48 per tablet for Edluar 10 mg sl tablet in October 2026, by the national survey of what pharmacies pay (NADAC). That is the pharmacy’s cost, not your price: what you pay depends on your insurance or discount card.

Changes to This Projection

  • First generic expected a date that is not known yet on this month’s schedule. A line is added here whenever a monthly update moves the month, the reason or how sure it is.

Every change to the expected month is logged here with the month we saw it.

Also Going Generic

All upcoming generics

About Edluar

Sources. The expected month: FDA Paragraph IV Patent Certifications list, federal court records, company announcements and securities filings (settlement dates, launch plans, sales). The record on this page: FDA Orange Book, Drugs@FDA (tentative approvals), FDA NDC Directory, FDA Paragraph IV Patent Certifications list, NADAC (CMS), CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug, FDA, Generic Competition and Drug Prices (2019). Updated October 9, 2026. Information, not medical advice.