Maple Grove Company Named in Drug Price-Fixing Lawsuit
Minnesota has joined a multistate lawsuit accusing some of the nation’s largest drug manufacturers of a massive price-fixing scheme.
One of the 20 companies named in the suit is Maple Grove-based Upsher-Smith. The states accuse drug companies of colluding to set artificially high prices on generic drugs. In some cases, the price of generic drugs soared more than 1,000 percent, the suit alleges.
In announcing the suit, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the alleged scheme “illegal behavior rooted in greed.” Ellison says the manufacturers in the suit are part of the “largest cartel in history.”
The suit identifies more than 100 generic drugs, which treat a variety of conditions, including heart blood pressure, cancer, anxiety and HIV.
The lawsuit comes as Upsher-Smith seeks city approval of a large expansion plan. The company’s proposed four-story addition would be used primarily for manufacturing. The Maple Grove City Council will review the plans at its Monday, May 20 meeting. Upsher-Smith declined comment on the suit, citing the pending litigation.
