Novartis to pay $245M to settle antitrust lawsuit on hypertension drug Exforge
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Novartis (NYSE:NVS) agreed to pay $245M to settle a lawsuit alleging that that the company made efforts to delay the launch of generic versions of its high blood pressure drug Exforge in the U.S., Reuters reported.

CVS Health (CVS), Kroger (KR), Rite Aid (RAD) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) are among the plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit â in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York â which started in 2018, the report noted.
The settlement, if approved by a federal judge in Manhattan, with the direct purchasers, indirect purchasers and retailers and will resolve all outstanding claims against the Swiss drugmaker related to the issue, the report added.
The lawsuit came into being due to a licensing agreement in 2011 between Novartis and Endo International's unit (OTCPK:ENDPQ) Par Pharmaceutical.
The plaintiffs alleged that Par agreed not to launch a generic version of Exforge for two years after one of Novartis' patents expired, while the Swiss company, allegedly, decided not to introduce its own generic of Exforge during the 180-day exclusivity period after Par's generic entered the market, according to the report.