AbbVie, Besins Healthcare, Teva, U.S. Federal Trade Commission generics, endocrine/metabolic news
FTC filed a suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging that AbbVie, Besins' Besins Healthcare Inc. subsidiary and Teva engaged in anticompetitive activity to delay the availability of generic versions of testosterone replacement therapy AndroGel testosterone gel. FTC alleges that AbbVie and Besins Healthcare filed "sham" patent infringement lawsuits against generic drug marketers Teva and Perrigo Co. plc (NYSE:PRGO; Tel Aviv:PRGO, Dublin, Ireland) and then entered into a pay-for-delay settlement to pay Teva to temporarily refrain from competing with AndroGel.
FTC is seeking a permanent injunction prohibiting the companies from engaging in similar conduct and potential disgorgement or other restitution. The suit also names Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT, Abbott Park, Ill.) and its Unimed Pharmaceuticals LLC subsidiary as defendants. Abbott spun out its pharmaceuticals business into AbbVie last year. AbbVie recorded AndroGel sales of $472 million in 1H14. Under a deal with AbbVie, Besins Healthcare manufactures AndroGel and receives a share of profits from U.S. sales. ...