FTC Narrowly Okays AbbVie/Allergan Merger As Dissenter Slams Divestitures To AstraZeneca, Nestlé
Executive Summary
Commissioner Chopra says candy maker Nestlé cannot take Allergan’s place in the market and AstraZeneca would get a windfall without paying anything for a valuable drug development project. AbbVie/Allergan must divest enzyme replacement therapies Zenpap and Viokace to Nestlé and investigational IL-23 inhibitor brazikumab to AstraZeneca.
You may also be interested in...
FTC’s Take On Two Pharma Mergers Shows Deals Can Clear Higher Hurdle
Pfizer’s acquisition of Arena without FTC intervention and Hikma’s acquisition of Custopharm with one product divestiture shows the commission is bound by anticompetitive facts of a deal. A more controversial merger may not get through, former FTC attorney says.
Anticompetitive Drug Rebates May Need FTC Rulemaking For Timely Reform, Commissioners Say
‘Rebate walls’ report heads to US Congress, but Democratic commissioners suggest FTC’s typical approach to curtailing such practices is too time consuming.
Pharma Mergers May Have Tougher Time Clearing FTC Under New Review Scheme
FTC is working with Canadian and European enforcement agencies to come up with new approach to merger reviews that could look at effects on innovation and companies' past conduct. FTC to review closed mergers to see if corrective action is necessary, FTC acting chair says.