Amgen is leading the way. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached an agreement with pharmaceutical company Amgen allowing it to acquire Horizon Therapeutics for $27.8 billion, the California-based company said Friday in a statement.
In a previous statement The US regulator clarified that the agreement prevents the pharmaceutical giant from bundling its products with drugs manufactured by Horizon Therapeutics. to treat Graves’ eye disease or gout.
It was one of the main demands from several state authorities in the Democratic-ruled nation, which asked the Federal Trade Commission in May to stop the acquisition over the possibility that Amgen was using the purchase to support Horizon’s monopoly position in the market. these rare diseases.
Amgen was accused of using the purchase to fight monopolistic activity.
Henry Liu, director of the agency’s competitiveness office, said the agreement “sends a clear message that the FTC and its government partners will scrutinize pharmaceutical mergers that allow this practice.”
Attorneys general from six US states have asked the Federal Trade Commission to halt the acquisition. as anti-competitive, arguing that it would “allow Amgen to use its large portfolio of blockbusters to pressure insurance companies and drugstore benefit managers to favor Horizon’s two monopoly products, Tepezza and Krystexxa.”
The US government of Joe Biden has focused on combating the high prices of many life-saving drugs in the country.like insulin. This week, the White House released a list of ten drugs with which it will begin a series of negotiations with drug companies to lower their prices, a measure included in the Democrats’ stellar health and environmental bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. which was approved last year.
The drugs of choice are the anticoagulants Eliquis and Xarelto; Jardiance, which treats diabetes and heart failure; Januvia, Farsiga and NovoLog for diabetes; Enbrel and Stelara for arthritis and psoriasis; Entresto – with heart failure; and Imbruvik for blood cancer. Its manufacturers now have until October 1 to decide whether they will participate in negotiations with the US government..