AstraZeneca has agreed to an $11 million class action lawsuit settlement over claims that AstraZeneca filed lawsuits and patent filings against the competition in order to keep the market clear of any generic forms of the prescription drug Toprol XL. Class member contend that these actions violated federal and state antitrust laws and consumer protection laws by keeping a lower cost alternative of the shelves. The case is entitled Metoprolol Succinate End-Payor Antitrust Litigation and is in the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Class members in the case are defined as anyone who purchased Toprol XL or its generic equivalent metoprolol succinate between the dates of May 5, 2005 through September 27, 2012. Please note that if your co-payment amounts for Toprol XL and its generic were the same, you are not considered a class member in the Toprol XL Class Action Settlement. The amount any one class member will receive will be based upon how many people file claims and how much the class member spent on the purchase of the drug. ToprolSettlement.com provides more information about the case as well as the claim form and other court related documents. You do not have to hire your own lawyer as the court has already appointed the law firms of KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK; FINE, KAPLAN AND BLACK; and POMERANTZ GROSSMAN HUFFORD DAHL to represant class members.
Important dates in the case include April 1, 2013 and March 7, 2013. All claim forms MUST be filed no later than 04/01/13 in order to receive a possible settlement payment. A settlement fairness hearing will be held on 03/07/13 at 1pm to determine the final outcome of the settlement. The hearing will be held at J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building, 844 N. King Street, Unit 18, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-3570 if you wish to attend. If you would like more information about the case please see the website below or write to: Consumer Settlement, PO Box 2807, Faribault, MN 55021-8612, or call the Settlement Administrator at 1-877-854-3273. AstraZeneca will think twice about using shady tactics to drive out the competition in the future.
