Press Releases
06/02/2023
Attorney General Tong Announces $102.5 Million Settlement with Suboxone Maker for Alleged Illegal Monopoly Tactics
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong announced a $102.5 million multistate settlement with 42 states and the maker of Suboxone, Indivior Inc. over alleged illegal monopoly tactics. Connecticut will receive $1.78 million from the settlement.“Indivior tweaked its product to illegally preserve its drug monopoly. Our investigation—in coordination with nearly every attorney general nationwide—alleged that Indivior restrained competition that could have made this lifesaving opioid dependency treatment more affordable and available for patients in need. Today’s settlement recovers millions of dollars nationwide, including $1.78 million for Connecticut, and enforces critical reforms to ensure fair competition in this important market,” said Attorney General Tong.
In 2016, the States filed a complaint against Indivior Inc. alleging that they used illegal means to switch the Suboxone market from tablets to film while attempting to destroy the market for tablets, in order to preserve its drug monopoly. Trial had been set for September 2023.
The agreement, which will be submitted to the court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for approval, requires Indivior to pay the states $102.5 million. Indivior is also required to comply with negotiated injunctive terms that include disclosures to the States of all citizen petitions to the FDA, introduction of new products, or if there is a change in corporate control, which will help the States ensure that Indivior refrains from engaging in the same kind of conduct alleged in the complaint.
In addition to Connecticut, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin joined today’s settlement. The coalition was led by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gwendolyn Lindsay Cooley.
Retired Assistant Attorneys General Gary Becker and Michael Cole, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Nicole Demers, Chief of the Antitrust Section assisted Attorney General Tong in this matter.
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