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EU: Commission takes action against household pharma cos

By  |  February 1, 2013

The European Commission is reportedly set to investigate Johnson & Jonson and Novartis over claims the two pharmaceutical companies partook in anticompetitive policies and practices through squeezing out a generic painkiller competitor. The allegations consist of the companies’ Dutch subsidiaries colluding to keep generic fentanyl off the shelves after J&J’s patent protection on the branded drug expired. The EC has reportedly filed its first action against the companies in the form of a statement of objections. These types of pay-for-delay agreements have been under consideration from the Commission for several years; an industry-wide probe into the matter began in 2008.

 

Full content: PMLive

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