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The French competition authority imposed a cumulative fine of € 444 million on Roche and Novartis. The authority cites the abusive practices of the two companies in the area of ”treatments for age-related macular degeneration” as the reason.
The two pharmaceutical giants in Basel, as well as Genentech, Roche’s US subsidiary, are specifically accused of having promoted the sale of the drug Lucentis at the expense of the 30 times cheaper product Avastin, the authority announced on its website on Wednesday. .
Misunderstanding at Novartis
At Novartis, the verdict is received with misunderstanding. One is very disappointed with the decision and rejects the accusations, he said in a statement. “We firmly believe that we act appropriately and in accordance with all applicable regulations.”
The authority’s decision is based on a “serious misinterpretation” of the facts and a “distortion” of the previous jurisprudence. Therefore, the company intends to take the decision to an appeals court.
«See the next steps»
Roche has yet to make a decision on this. “We will examine our next steps,” says the second of Basel’s multinational pharmaceutical companies. But he also makes it clear: “We do not agree with the authority’s decision – with all due respect.”
