FTC Releases Pfizer From 6-Year-Old Restriction

The FTC has released Pfizer from a 6-year-old restriction on holdings in animal health products after the company disclosed that it no longer has any products or subsidiaries involved in that space.

In a 3-0 vote, the commissioners agreed to lift the order that was imposed in the wake of Pfizer’s 2009 purchase of Wyeth. The order required the merged companies to sell roughly half of all animal health businesses to FTC-approved buyers.

In a petition filed in December, Pfizer asked to be released from the order because it transferred all of its animal health holdings to Zoetis and divested any holdings in the company in 2013. Additionally, the petition certified that Zoetis was willing to abide by the order in Pfizer’s place.