Tag: Competition

The complaint alleged that Scott R. Sacane, a Connecticut hedge fund manager, failed to comply with notification and waiting period requirements before making acquisitions of two companies through an investment fund that he controlled. Sacane eventually held more than 50 percent of the voting securities of Aksys Ltd. and more than $100 million of voting securities of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., without complying with the HSR Act. Under the terms of a consent decree filed simultaneously with the suit, Sacane agreed to pay a civil penalty of $350,000 to settle the charges.

To resolve competitive concerns for three generic pharmaceuticals that arose from Novartis AG’s acquisition of Eon Labs, Inc., Novartis agreed to divest all the assets necessary to manufacture and market generic desipramine hydrochloride tablets, orphenadrine citrate extended release (ER) tablets, and rifampin oral capsules in the United States to Amide within 10 days of Novartis’s acquisition of Eon. Further, Novartis, through its Sandoz generic pharmaceuticals division, will supply Amide with orphenadrine citrate ER and desipramide hydrochloride tablets until Amide obtains FDA approval to manufacture the products itself, and will assist Amide in obtaining all necessary FDA approvals.

A final consent order requires Cytec Industries, Inc. to divest UCB’s Amino Resins Business in Massachusetts and Germany to a Commission-approved buyer. According to the complaint issued with the agreement, the acquisition as proposed would eliminate direct competition between the two firms in the market for amino resins used for industrial liquid coatings and rubber adhesion promotion.

Cemex S.A. agreed to settle concerns stemming from its proposed $5.8 billion acquisition of RMC Group PLC. Under terms of the proposed consent order, Cemex will divest RMC's five ready-mix concrete plants in the Tucson, Arizona area, at no minimum price to a Commission- approved buyer.

Under the terms of the consent orders Chevron and Unocal will cease enforcing Unocal’s patents covering reformulated gasoline that complies with California Air resources Board Standard, will not undertake any new enforcement efforts related to the particular patents, and will cease all attempts to collect damages, royalties, or other payments related to the use of any of the patents. In addition, the companies will dismiss all pending legal actions related to alleged infringement of the patents. According to the complaint, the acquisition of the Unocal patents by Chevron would have facilitated coordinated interaction among downstream refiners and marketers of CARB gasoline.