Dublin pharma firm sued in NYC

Actavis plc is being sued by New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman over claims it is trying to block generic competition by swapping versions of its Namenda Alzheimer’s drug, a move he says is part of a growing trend in the pharmaceutical industry to maintain high prices.

The Dublin-based company’s plan to discontinue the immediate-release version of Namenda and switch patients to an extended-release version with patents expiring later violates state and US antitrust laws, Schneiderman said in a complaint filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court.

“We’re sending a clear message to all pharmaceutical companies: Prioritising profits over patients’ rights will not be tolerated,” he said in a statement.