AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals is likely to pay a higher share of the $103 million settlement it agreed to in the long-running average wholesale pricing multidistrict litigation than did previous settling companies, thanks to an innovative settlement clause.
AstraZeneca and plaintiffs law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro of Seattle filed two proposed settlement agreements on June 18 in the District of Massachusetts case, In re Pharmaceutical Industry Average Wholesale Price Litigation. One agreement applies to consumers or third-party purchasers of Zoladex and/or Pulmicort Respules located in Massachusetts. The other settlement applies to consumers and third-party purchasers outside of Massachusetts. Zoladex is drug that treats breast and prostate cancer; Pulmicort treats childhood asthma. Subject to approval by the court, the Massachusetts plaintiffs will share $13 million and the plaintiffs in other states will share $90 million.
