Africa’s biggest generic drug maker, Aspen Pharmacare, has lost its appeal against the €5.2m fine levied by the Italian Competition Authority over the price of some of its cancer drugs, a development that comes hard on the heels of Tuesday’s news that it is to be investigated by the Competition Commission in SA. The Italian case relates to the prices of a portfolio of off-patent cancer drugs that Aspen acquired from GlaxoSmithKline several years ago, and that it recently increased. Aspen’s conduct relating to the price of these drugs is also under the microscope in SA, although the prices of the drugs in question have remained relatively stable as they are regulated tightly by the Department of Health. Aspen said on Wednesday it had noted the abridged judgment handed down by the Italian court and was awaiting the release of the full reasons for the judgment to determine whether it would appeal to the Italian Council of State appeal court. Aspen’s head of strategic trade, Stavros Nic...
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