Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced today that the state has joined a 45-state and territory coalition seeking court approval of settlements with three generic drug manufacturers: Ascend Laboratories, Citron Pharma, and Mayne Pharma.

The settlements resolve allegations that the pharmaceutical companies engaged in a widespread conspiracy to artificially inflate generic drug prices, restrain trade, and stifled market competition.

“These pharmaceutical companies conspired to drive up the cost of prescription drugs at the expense of Tennessee families,” Attorney General Skrmetti said. “That’s illegal and we’re glad to hold them accountable. These settlements demonstrate our continued commitment to ensuring that Tennessee consumers enjoy the lower prices that inevitably happen when companies compete with each other.”

Under the terms of the proposed agreements:

All three companies have committed to implementing internal compliance reforms aimed at upholding federal and state antitrust laws.

These agreements mark the latest resolution in an ongoing series of multistate enforcement actions targetting anticompetitive behavior in the generic drug industry. The state coalition previously secured $496.5 million in settlements with generic manufacturers including Sandoz, Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex, Heritage Pharmaceuticals, and parent firm Emcure.

The coalition is currently preparing for its first trial in the broader litigation, which is scheduled to begin in Hartford, Connecticut.

Consumers in the United States who purchased eligible generic prescription drugs between May 2009 and December 2019 may qualify for financial compensation under the terms of the broader agreements.

To check eligibility or obtain additional information regarding claim filings: