Pharmacy Chains Sue AbbVie Over Alleged Delays of AndroGel Generics

CVS and Rite Aid filed an antitrust suit accusing AbbVie of mounting “sham” patent lawsuits against two generic manufacacturers to protect its testosterone replacement drug AndroGel from competition.

The two pharmacy chains claim AbbVie sued Perrigo and Teva as a delaying tactic, fully aware that the patent infringement claims would not hold up in court.

Had AbbVie not filed the lawsuits, CVS and RiteAid claim, they and other purchasers would have been able to stock less costly generics for AndroGel in June 2013 instead of 18 months later, a delay that cost the chains hundreds of millions of dollars.