Solvay Pharmaceuticals Settles Lawsuit against Pseudo-Generic to CREON® MINIMICROSPHERES®
Solvay announces today that its United States subsidiary Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has settled a lawsuit filed against Global Pharmaceuticals and Impax Laboratories, Inc. alleging that the companies falsely advertised and marketed their products as generic equivalents to and substitutes for Solvay Pharmaceuticals’ CREON® MINIMICROSPHERES® (Pancrelipase Delayed-release Capsules, USP).
Under the terms of the settlement, Global Pharmaceuticals and Impax Laboratories will pay USD23 million to Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of which USD12 million has been paid in June 2006. The remaining USD11 million will be paid to Solvay and accounted for over a six year period. The terms of the settlement will also require the defendants to discontinue current marketing practices that state or imply its products are generic equivalents to CREON® brand products and discontinue current product labeling, distribution and sales of Lipram-CR 5, Lipram-CR 10 and Lipram-CR 20. The terms also require the defendants to disseminate corrective advertising via a written communication to customers, database companies, and managed care organizations stating that its products are not generic equivalents to CREON® brand products and should not be substituted for CREON® brand products without physician supervision.
CREON® MINIMICROSPHERES® is Solvay Pharmaceuticals’ pancreatic enzyme supplement for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, which is often associated with conditions such as cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals is a research driven group of companies that constitute the global pharmaceutical business of the Solvay Group. The company seeks to fulfill carefully selected, unmet medical needs in the therapeutic areas of neuroscience, cardio-metabolic, influenza vaccines, gastroenterology, specialized markets and men’s and women’s health. Its 2005 sales were EUR 2.3 billion and it employs approximately 10 000 people worldwide. For more information, visit solvaypharmaceuticals.com
SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 30000 people in 50 countries. In 2005 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.6 billion generated by its three activity sectors: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. SOLVAY (Euronext : SOLB.BE – Bloomberg: SOLB.BB – Reuters: SOLB.BR) is listed on the Euronext stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at www.solvay.com