The California Supreme Court today heard oral arguments In re Cipro Cases I & II. The firm represents a class of California consumers and insurers who brought antitrust claims against Bayer Corporation, Barr Laboratories, and other generic drug companies.
The suit charges that these companies entered into an illegal reverse payment agreement, forcing consumers to pay inflated prices for the popular antibiotic Cipro over an eight-year period, from roughly 1997-2005. Bayer allegedly paid $398.1 million to generic drug makers to delay the release of a cheaper alternative.
California consumers and insurers allege Bayer, Barr, and other generic drug producers conspired to keep generic alternatives off the market, enabling Bayer to hike prices for Cipro.