$250 Billion in Biotech Drug Savings on Brink of Arrival

At least 14 expensive biotechnology medicines that have never before faced generic rivals in the U.S. are being targeted by drugmakers who want to sell imitations at cheaper prices, according to regulators.

For years, patients have been able to buy less expensive copies of existing chemical drugs -- ranging from Lipitor for cholesterol to the antidepressant Prozac -- once their patents ended. That saved the nation $239 billion last year alone, according to the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.