U. Minnesota Drug Patents
Executive Summary
Sen. Boschwitz (R-Minn.) introduced legislation Feb. 7 to extend the patents of two cardiac drugs developed by the University of Minnesota -- the injectable anti-arrhythmic bretylium tosylate (American Critical Care's Bretylol) and the oral antihypertensive bethanidine sulfate (Robins' Tenathan). The bill (S 456) would provide five-year extensions for bretylium and bethanidine, whose patents expire in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Both drugs were approved in 1981. Boschwitz said industry or university funding of comparative studies is "impracticable" unless the patents are extended. He added that Senate Judiciary/Patents Subcmte. Chairman Mathias (R-Md.) has agreed to hold hearings on the bill