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June 24, 2011

ME wins $500K in drug settlement

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Maine is receiving more than $500,000 as part of a national settlement with drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and SB Pharmco Puerto Rico.

Maine Attorney General William Schneider, along with 37 other attorneys general, reached a $40.75 million settlement that stemmed from allegations of substandard manufacturing processes at the companies' now-shuttered plant in Puerto Rico, according to a press release from Schneider's office. Maine is receiving $585,127.The complaint from the states claims the companies made and distributed batches of four different drugs, including antidepressent Paxil and anti-nausea medication Kytril, "that were adulterated" due to poor manufacturing standards. Those batches have been recalled for many years and have expired, according to the release, which did not mention if anyone had been harmed by taking the drugs. The companies closed the plant in Cidra, Puerto Rico, in 2009.

Earlier this month, the state also received money as part of settlements with pharmaceutical manufacturers UCB Inc. and Novo Nordisk Inc., both of which were alleged to have promoted their drugs for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Maine received $43,000 from the UCB settlement and $22,000 from the Novo Nordisk settlement, according to press releases from the attorney general's office.

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