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US/Japan: Astellas agrees to last-minute drug monopoly settlement

By  |  January 21, 2015

Japan-based pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma Inc. agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit ahead of trial, which was set to begin last Tuesday in Boston federal court. The Louisiana Wholesale Drug Co. and other plaintiffs had filed five lawsuits against Astellas in 2011 accusing it of illegally holding a monopoly on the market for Tacrolimus, sold under the brand name Prograf.

The allegations claimed Astellas made tactical efforts to keep the generic version of the anti-rejection, immune-suppressant drug off store shelves. Specifically, plaintiffs argued that Astellas filed a “sham” petition in 2007 seeking safety and efficacy test for the generic version of the drug in efforts to delay its entry onto the market. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Full Content: Reuters

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