Pfizer dismissed from US states' drug price-fixing lawsuit

By Jonathan Stempel

Wed, June 24, 2026 astatine 9:55 AM CDT 2 min read

By Jonathan Stempel

June 24 (Reuters) - Pfizer has been dismissed arsenic a suspect successful a sweeping antitrust suit successful which astir U.S. states accused dozens of drugmakers ‌and executives of fixing generic cause prices.

In a determination connected Tuesday, Chief Judge ‌Michael Shea of the national territory tribunal successful Connecticut said the states failed to amusement that Pfizer and its ​former Greenstone portion conspired with rivals betwixt 2010 and 2014 to rig bids and allocate customers for six cause products.

These included generic versions of Eplerenone tablets for precocious humor pressure, Latanoprost drops for glaucoma, and 4 versions of Clindamycin phosphate for acne.

The states alleged that Greenstone executives ‌exchanged much than 360 telephone calls ⁠and substance messages with the Swiss drugmaker Sandoz to coordinate anticompetitive activity.

But the justice said nary tenable assemblage could find that New York-based Pfizer ⁠directly conspired to hole prices, knew of collusion by Greenstone erstwhile asked to o.k. terms changes, oregon was liable due to the fact that Greenstone — the authorized generic shaper of Pfizer-branded drugs — acted arsenic its agent.

"Greenstone existed ​for the ​purpose of selling generic drugs for nett successful ​addition to the strategical worth that ‌it provided to its genitor company," Shea wrote. "The states' contention that it existed for the sole intent of acting connected its genitor company's behalf falls short."

LAWSUIT COVERS 80 GENERIC DRUGS

The dismissal came successful a suit brought by 45 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and 4 U.S. territories, accusing 36 defendants of conspiring to hole prices of 80 generic drugs, chiefly ‌for tegument ailments.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has led ​the litigation, and New York Attorney General Letitia James ​filed papers opposing Pfizer's dismissal motion.

Tong's ​office had nary contiguous remark connected Wednesday. James' bureau declined to comment.

Pfizer ‌spun disconnected Greenstone successful a 2020 transaction ​that created Viatris.

In a ​statement, Pfizer said it was pleased with the dismissal. It besides said Greenstone was a "reliable and trusted supplier of affordable generic medicines for decades, and we volition ​continue to vigorously support against ‌these claims."

Shea oversees 2 different antitrust lawsuits by authorities attorneys wide related to generic ​drugs. Pfizer is simply a suspect successful 1 of those cases.

(Reporting by Jonathan ​Stempel successful New York, Editing by Louise Heavens)