Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into 19 pharmaceutical companies to probe whether their operations violated the country’s competition law, the Turkish Competition Authority disclosed in a Thursday statement.
The drugmakers on the list include AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bausch & Lomb, Bayer, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi and Merck KgaA, among other global and Turkish pharmaceutical companies.
The investigation officially kicked off on November 11, according to the statement.
Germany’s Merck KgaA is “of course cooperating fully” with the Turkish authorities but can’t comment further on the ongoing investigation, a spokesperson told Fierce Pharma over email.
Bayer is “aware of the matter,” a company representative said. Sanofi also confirmed the investigation and is "cooperating fully," a spokesperson said over email.
GSK as well is "aware of the formal investigation and are fully collaborating" with the competition authority, a representative said.
Chemical maker BASF, which is included in the investigation, is “assessing the matter” but is “strictly committed to high standards of legal compliance and business ethics,” the company told Fierce Pharma over email.
Additional companies did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Elsewhere, a group of companies were recently hit with a fine from the European Commission for operating a "cartel" on a specific drug ingredient. The drugmakers “admitted their involvement in the cartel and agreed to settle the case,” the European Commission said in an October release.