Pfizer and Flynn Pharma were fined a total of $84 million for overcharging the National Health Services for an epilepsy drug in a long-running investigation carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The issue dates back to 2016 when the CMA fined Pfizer and Flynn for inflating prices for Epanutin by as much as 2,600%. Both companies were implicated because Pfizer had sold the UK distribution rights for Epanutin to Flynn, a small UK-based pharma company, in Sept. 2012. The companies won a 2018 appeal against the penalty. The matter was referred back to the CMA, which again decided that Pfizer and Flynn had broken the law.
According to the CMA investigation, Pfizer and Flynn de-branded the drug (branded as Epanutin) and sold it as generic phenytoin sodium capsules in order to skirt price regulations.
Both Pfizer and Flynn Pharma said the companies will appeal the CMA decision.