UPDATE: Raided Pharma Cos In Delayed Generic Drugs Probe
03 Décembre 2010 - 12:50PM
Dow Jones News
The European Commission said Friday that it carried out
raids--currently confirmed only by AstraZeneca PLC (AZN)--on the
offices of pharmaceutical companies that allegedly delayed market
entry of generic drug competitors for a specific medicine.
AstraZeneca, the U.K.'s second-biggest drug maker, confirmed
that a number of its sites in Europe had been visited this week,
mainly focusing on its top-seller heartburn drug, Nexium, also
known as esomeprazole.
"The Commission has reason to believe that the companies
concerned may have acted individually or jointly, notably to delay
generic entry for a particular medicine," the commission said in a
statement.
Friday's announcement is part of a years-long commission effort
to crack down on anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical
sector. The European Union's antitrust body is carrying out various
investigations into alleged anti-competitive practices and focuses
on pharmaceutical patent settlements that can delay the
introduction of generic rivals.
A spokeswoman for the U.K.'s second-biggest drug maker said the
raids were focused on AstraZeneca's top-seller heartburn drug,
Nexium, also known as esomeprazole.
"We can confirm we are subject of inspections by certain
competition authorities which relate to alleged practices regarding
esomeprazole in Europe," she said.
"We are cooperating with the authorities," she said, adding that
"AstraZeneca takes compliance with all laws seriously and has a
fundamental commitment to doing business in an ethical and proper
manner."
Nexium was AstraZeneca's biggest-selling drug in 2009, with
global sales of $5 billion--but its importance is declining. The
drug already faces generic rivals in certain European countries,
with the timing of European launches varying from country to
country. In the U.S., its most important market, cheap copies of
Nexium are not expected until 2014 following settlement deals
struck between the UI.K. drug maker and generics firms.
Several generic drugmakers have launched cheap copies of Nexium
in Germany. German generics maker Ratiopharm, now part of
Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA), said in
September it would launch its version of the drug in Germany at a
discount of more than 60% to the original product.
Neither Ratiopharm nor Teva were immediately available for
comment.
Experts say Nexium is 11 times more expensive than generic
omeprazole and has minimal if any additional benefits.
-By Alessandro Torello, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 14
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