EU court delivers blow to Swiss firms in anti-competition case

23 January 2018

The Court of Justice of the European Union, the highest judicial body in the European Union, has ruled that an agreement between Swiss firms Roche (ROG: SIX) and Novartis (NOVN: VX) may be in breach of European competition rules.

The deal in question relates to Roche’s Avastin (bevacizumab) and the much more expensive Lucentis (ranibizumab), from Novartis, both of which are used to treat certain ophthalmological conditions, albeit cancer drug Avastin prescribing being off-label.

The companies are alleged to have collaborated with each other in order to dissuade physicians from prescribing the cheaper option.

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