FTC to Host Media Availability on Commission's First Competition Case Based on "Orange Book" Pharmaceutical Listing

The Federal Trade Commission will hold a media availability on Tuesday, April 23, at 1:00 p.m. EST to announce the first FTC law enforcement action stemming from the allegedly wrongful listing of a pharmaceutical patent in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Orange Book." Allegations that the branded company acquired the patent in question for anticompetitive reasons also will be discussed. The FTC already has brought three competition-related matters involving allegedly illegal payments or agreements between branded and generic drug manufacturers over the past two years. The Commission has settled these charges in two matters, and with one of the respondents in a third matter that is pending before an administrative court.