Because H-W exclusivity would apply to OTC Mevacor, MRK has been willing to keep trying and trying… and trying. But it looks like it’s not in the cards.
The FDA rejected MRK’s application to sell an OTC version of Mevacor in 2008 (#msg-26287401), which was the last attempt at an OTC statin.
Prescription Lipitor is still a big-selling product ($2.3B in 2013), even though it is off-patent everywhere, thanks to the power of branded generics in emerging markets.