See the DrugPatentWatch profile for loratadine

The antihistamine drug loratadine, marketed under the brand name Claritin, was originally patented by the German pharmaceutical company Schering AG [1]. Loratadine was first approved for use in the United Kingdom in 1988 and was later approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993 [2].

Schering AG held the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell loratadine under the brand name Claritin until the patents for the drug began to expire in the early 2000s [3]. As the patents expired, other pharmaceutical companies were able to produce and market generic versions of loratadine [4].

According to DrugPatentWatch.com, the last patent for loratadine expired in the United States in 2010 [5]. This allowed for the widespread availability of generic loratadine, which has significantly reduced the cost of the drug and increased access to it for patients [6].

In summary, Schering AG originally held the patents for loratadine alone, and the last patent for the drug expired in the United States in 2010.

Sources:

1. "Schering AG." Encyclopædia Britannica. <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Schering-AG>.
2. "Loratadine." MedlinePlus. <https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697035.html>.
3. "Claritin (loratadine)." RxList. <https://www.rxlist.com/claritin-drug.htm>.
4. "Loratadine." Drugs.com. <https://www.drugs.com/loratadine.html>.
5. "Loratadine." DrugPatentWatch.com. <https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/drugs/loratadine>.
6. "Generic Claritin Now Available." FDA. <https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/generic-claritin-now-available>.