Vermont AG: Sandoz, Fougera Settle Price-Fixing Allegations for $469 Million

Attorney General Clark today joined a coalition with 42 other states and territories seeking court approval of a $469 million multistate settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. to resolve allegations that the generic drug manufacturers engaged in a widespread, long-running conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs. The States previously announced a settlement in principle on August 3. Under the settlement agreement, Vermont will receive $358,000 from Sandoz. Under the terms of this agreement and previous settlements Sandoz reached with other states, Sandoz will pay a total of approximately $469 million to settle the claims brought by state enforcers. The settlement will also resolve allegations that Sandoz Inc.’s past and present international affiliates, Novartis AG, Sandoz AG, and Sandoz Group AG, participated in the alleged anticompetitive conduct and fraudulently transferred assets in order to avoid liability. As part of the settlement, Sandoz has agreed to meaningful injunctive terms including a series of internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws. This latest settlement comes as the States prepare for the first trial to be held in Hartford, Connecticut in February 2027. The Sandoz settlement follows settlements with Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex and Heritage, and Heritage’s parent company, Emcure, totaling $96.5 million. If you purchased a generic prescription drug between May 2009 and December 2019, you may be eligible for compensation. To determine your eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (Toll-Free), email info@AGGenericDrugs.com or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com . You can submit a claim for compensation here . Vermont is part of a coalition of nearly all states and territories engaged in a series of antitrust cases, starting first in 2016. The first Complaint included Heritage and 17 other corporate Defendants, two individual Defendants, and 15 generic drugs. Two former executives from Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Jeffery Glazer and Jason Malek, have since entered into settlement agreements and are cooperating. The second Complaint was filed in 2019 against Teva Pharmaceuticals and 21 of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers. The Complaint names 16 individual senior executive Defendants. The third complaint, to be tried first, focuses on 80 topical generic drugs that account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States and names 26 corporate defendants and 10 individual defendants. The States filed a fourth complaint earlier this year, alleging that Novartis AG, Sandoz Group AG and Sandoz AG, are liable for Sandoz’s alleged conduct and for fraudulently transferring assets. States and territories joining this settlement with Sandoz include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.