Amgen settles antitrust lawsuit with Johnson and Johnson subsidiary

Amgen has reached a settlement with Ortho Biotech Products, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in its outstanding antitrust litigation.

Ortho Biotech had previously alleged that discounts offered to oncology clinics on cancer drugs from Amgen had violated antitrust legislation.

The allegation covered three compounds; Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa), Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) and Neupogen (filgrastim).

Under the terms of the settlement, Amgen has agreed to pay Ortho Biotech the sum of $200 million (100 million pounds), while all pending litigation in the New Jersey District Court will be dismissed without prejudice.

It admits no wrongdoing as part of this settlement agreement and denies that its challenged conduct was in any way against the law.

Kevin Sharer,chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen, said: “We are pleased to have reached a settlement that puts this litigation behind us.”

He added that taking this step to end the uncertainty and expense of the lawsuit is a move taken in the best interest of shareholders in Amgen.

In March 2008, the European Commission amended the prescribing information for Aranesp as a treatment for anaemia associated with chronic renal failure following a positive opinion from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use earlier in the year.