Who Owns Lyrica?

Pregabalin, the active ingredient in Lyrica, was originally synthesized by Richard Silverman, a chemistry professor at Northwestern University. Silverman was researching structural analogs of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter involved in pain signaling, as potential anticonvulsant and analgesic compounds. He licensed pregabalin to Parke-Davis, a pharmaceutical division of Warner-Lambert Company.

Pfizer acquired pregabalin through its $90 billion acquisition of Warner-Lambert in June 2000. At the time of the acquisition, pregabalin was in clinical development for neuropathic pain and epilepsy. Pfizer continued the clinical development program and submitted pregabalin to the FDA for approval.

The FDA approved Lyrica on December 30, 2004, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. The drug entered the US market in fall 2005. In June 2007, Lyrica became the first medication approved by the FDA specifically for fibromyalgia, a condition affecting an estimated 4 million adults in the United States. This approval significantly expanded Lyrica's addressable patient population. Lyrica also received approval as adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.

Lyrica's commercial performance exceeded expectations. Annual revenues grew steadily through the 2000s and 2010s, reaching peak global sales of approximately $5 billion annually in the mid-2010s. At its peak, Lyrica was one of Pfizer's top five revenue-generating products. The drug's success reflected the large and growing market for neuropathic pain treatments and limited competition from other medications with comparable efficacy across multiple pain conditions.

In 2017, the FDA approved Lyrica CR (pregabalin extended-release), a once-daily formulation designed to provide more consistent drug levels and potentially reduce side effects compared to the twice-daily immediate-release formulation. The extended-release formulation was intended to extend Lyrica's commercial life as the immediate-release patent approached expiry.

Lyrica's US patent expired in July 2019, allowing generic manufacturers to enter the market. Multiple generic manufacturers, including Teva, Sun Pharma, and Cipla, launched pregabalin products following the patent expiry. Generic pregabalin prices dropped an estimated 70-80% below branded Lyrica's price, rapidly capturing the majority of pregabalin prescriptions in the United States.

In 2019, Pfizer announced the spinoff of its Upjohn division, containing Lyrica and other off-patent branded medicines, to be combined with Mylan N.V. The transaction was completed on November 16, 2020, forming Viatris. Lyrica became a Viatris product at that point, ending Pfizer's 16-year ownership of the brand.

Under Viatris ownership, Lyrica sales have continued to decline due to generic competition. Viatris reported Lyrica net sales of $556.5 million in 2023, $495.4 million in 2024, and $487.0 million in 2025, reflecting ongoing generic erosion in markets where patents have expired. Viatris maintains branded Lyrica sales in markets where brand loyalty or regulatory factors support premium pricing over generic pregabalin.