In the following video, Fool contributor Maxxwell Chatsko examines what AbbVie (ABBV +0.36%) investors should expect when Humira comes off patent in the next several years. He discusses how this patent cliff will differ from the steep cliffs traveled by Pfizer (PFE 0.20%) with Lipitor and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY 0.34%) with Plavix. However, he also cautions investors to expect sales to fall dramatically with several generic versions currently under development. Nonetheless, there are key differences that should aid AbbVie and its investors transition to a future without Humira.
Will Investors Take the Plunge Over the Patent Cliff With Humira?
By Maxx Chatsko – May 13, 2013 at 10:09AM
NYSE: ABBV
AbbVie

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Humira, the world's most successful current drug, is set to lose exclusivity in 2016 in the U.S. and in 2018 in Europe. The biologic provides over half of AbbVie's total revenue. Should investors start to panic?
About the Author
Maxx has been a contributor to Fool.com since 2013. He graduated from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (2012) with a Bachelor of Science in Bioprocess Engineering and from Carnegie Mellon University (2016) with a Master of Science in Materials Science & Engineering.