New York, 19 other states file suit against generic drug makers

New York is one of 20 states that have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against six generic drug makers alleging that they entered into numerous illegal conspiracies in order to favorably affect the market for an antibiotic and an oral diabetes medication in their favor, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office said Thursday.

Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma USA, Citron Pharma, Mayne Pharma, Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA are being targeted by the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that the companies engaged in the alleged illegal conspiracies in order to unreasonably restrain trade, artificially inflate and manipulate prices and reduce competition in the United States for doxycycline hyclate delayed release, the antibiotic, and glyburide, the oral diabetes drug. An investigation, initiated in Connecticut in July 2014, related to a number of additional generic drugs is ongoing, Schneiderman’s office said.

The lawsuit alleges that senior executives and subordinate marketing and sales executives coordinated to reduce competition with knowledge that their conduct was illegal and that they sought to avoid communicating in writing or delete written communications after they became aware of the investigation.

Read more: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/270222/schneiderman-files-suit-against-generic-drug-makers/