The amount of states involved in a price-fixing lawsuit against six generic drugmakers has doubled, reports Myrtle Beach Online.
While 20 states originally filed the lawsuit in December, an amended complaint filed March 1 now lists 40 states as plaintiffs in the suit, according to the report.
The lawsuit alleges six drugmakers — Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Mayne Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma and Citron Pharma —colluded to set fixed prices of two common drugs and split up market share.
The drugs involved are a delayed-release version of the antibiotic doxycycline hyclate and the diabetes medication glyburide. In October 2013, doxycycline cost $20 for 500 tablets. In May 2014, that price jumped to $1,849.
The lawsuit claims Heritage conspired with Teva, Aurobindo and Citron to raise prices for glyburide and worked with Mylan and Maine to allocate and divide the market for doxycycline, according to the report.
While Heritage declined The New York Times' request to comment on the original lawsuit, spokespeople for Teva and Mylan both said there was no evidence to suggest the drugmakers participated in any wrongdoings.
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