Court Rejects Drugmakers’ Attempt to Dismiss Attorney General Jackson’s Generic Drug Price-Fixing Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Contact: nahmed@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH – A U.S. district court judge rejected a motion by pharma companies to dismiss key claims in Attorney General Jackson’s generic drug price-fixing case against 26 drugmakers and 10 executives.

“The judge was right to see through these pharmaceutical companies’ attempts to avoid accountability for breaking the law and raising drug prices,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “I intend to hold them responsible for hurting North Carolinians.” 

North Carolina and other states sued the drugmakers in 2020, alleging a widespread conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade for 80 topical generic drugs. These drugs account for billions of dollars in United States sales, and these alleged schemes have raised prices for health insurance plans, Medicare, and Medicaid, and forced patients to pay more for their medications.

The defendants filed a joint motion for summary judgment, asking the court to dismiss core claims related to the overarching conspiracy that connects the drugs and defendants in question and potentially holds each defendant liable for the total amount in damages for each of the individual drug conspiracy claims. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea denied the motion and found that the states had a substantial amount of evidence to support their allegations.

This case is one of three that Attorney General Jackson is litigating related to price-fixing on more than 80 generic drugs by dozens of pharmaceutical companies and their executives.

The multistate coalition has reached a series of settlements with executives and companies now cooperating to support the states’ claims. Apotex entered into a $39.1 million settlement agreement, and Heritage entered into a $10 million settlement agreement. Seven pharmaceutical executives have reached settlements as well.

If you purchased a generic prescription drug listed here between May 2009 and December 2019, you may be eligible for compensation. To determine your eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (Toll-Free), email  info@AGGenericDrugs.com or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com.

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