Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Resolves Investigation Of Past TOPAMAX(R) Marketing And Promotional Activities

Main Category: Epilepsy
Also Included In: Headache / Migraine
Article Date: 30 Apr 2010 - 13:00 PDT

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Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OMJPI) announced an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other federal agencies to resolve a previously reported government investigation of past U.S. marketing and promotional practices for TOPAMAX® (topiramate), an antiepileptic and migraine prevention prescription medicine.

Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has been cooperating with the government since its investigation began in December 2003. OMJPI has entered into a settlement agreement resolving the federal government's investigation. The settlement includes total payments of $81.5 million plus interest, an amount previously reserved for, to the federal government and state Medicaid programs.

As one part of the resolution, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, L.L.C., a subsidiary of OMJPI, has agreed to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and to pay a $6.1 million criminal fine. OMJPI denies it engaged in any wrongful conduct, with the exception of acknowledging the admissions made by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, L.L.C. in connection with the misdemeanor plea. The guilty plea is subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The balance of the total settlement amount, $75.4 million, is a civil payment, part of which will be paid to the federal government and part of which will be made available to states for their Medicaid programs.

The plea states that the subsidiary, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, L.L.C., through one of its promotional programs, in some instances between 2001 and 2003, promoted TOPAMAX for certain uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, L.L.C. voluntarily discontinued the program at issue before receiving the government's first subpoena in the investigation.

OMJPI has a robust compliance program, which it will continue as part of this settlement through a five-year corporate integrity agreement (CIA) with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The CIA is largely consistent with the Company's existing compliance program, and reflects OMJPI's commitment to ensuring integrity in the delivery of essential medicines to patients. OMJPI's existing compliance program includes: a chief compliance officer; corporate compliance committee; code of conduct; extensive compliance training, policies and procedures regarding the appropriate promotion of OMJPI products; auditing, monitoring, and reporting, including a compliance hotline; and processes for disciplinary and corrective action.

Source
Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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