Justice Department files False Claims Act against Teva Pharmaceuticals
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA. and Teva Neuroscience (TEVA), the maker of Copaxone, a drug for multiple sclerosis.
The government alleges that Teva conspired with a specialty pharmacy, Advanced Care Scripts, and two purportedly independent foundations, Chronic Disease Fund and The Assistance Fund, to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by using the foundations as conduits to subsidize Medicare co-pays for Copaxone, all while steadily raising Copaxone’s price, the Justice Department said in a statement.
The government alleges that, from 2006 through at least 2015, Teva paid the two foundations well over $300M with the intent and understanding that the foundations would use Teva’s money to cover the Medicare co-pays of patients taking Copaxone. During the same period, Teva raised the price of Copaxone from approximately $17,000 per year to over $73,000 per year, according to the DOJ.
Copaxone is a brand-name prescription drug. It’s approved to treat certain forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults.
With MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves. The damaged nerves then have trouble communicating with brain. This condition can cause a wide variety of symptoms, such as muscle weakness and fatigue (lack of energy).
Copaxone contains the active drug glatiramer acetate. It’s a disease-modifying therapy for MS. Copaxone helps to stop the immune system from attacking the nerves. The drug can reduce the number of MS relapses and also slow worsening of the disease.
Copaxone comes as a solution that’s given by subcutaneous injection (an injection under your skin).
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is an Israeli pharmaceutical company. The firm develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. It is one of the largest generic drugmakers in the world.
Shares of Teva are down 9% to $10.52 in morning trading.
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