The UK Competition Authority fines pharmaceutical companies for pay-for-delay deals (GlaxoSmithKline)

UK Antitrust Watchdog slaps $65 million fine on Pharma Companies in UK’s first pay-for-delay case* On 12 February 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”), UK’s competition regulator, fined a number of pharma companies for anti-competitive conduct and agreements in relation to the supply of paroxetine (an anti-depressant drug). The anti-competitive conduct dates back to 2001, when pharmaceutical producers including Alpharma Limited (“Alpharma”) and Generics UK Limited (“GUK”) were preparing to launch their generic versions of paroxetine in the UK. At the time GlaxoSmithKline plc (“GSK”) held certain patents in relation to paroxetine and commercialised a branded version of the drug, Seroxat, which was a “blockbuster” product with annual sales over $130 million in the UK.