After Vifor Pharma agreed to sell itself for $11.7 billion in biopharma's largest M&A deal last year, the European Commission is now looking into antitrust allegations against the company.
European officials have started a probe into whether Vifor disparaged its closest and "potentially only" rival in the intravenous iron deficiency treatment market, the EC said in a statement. Authorities say the company's conduct "appears to be aimed at hindering competition" against its blockbuster drug Ferinject.
Vifor may have been disparaging a rival treatment from small Danish company Pharmacosmos for "many years” by spreading misleading information about its safety, officials said. The “misleading communication campaign” primarily targeted healthcare professionals, the EC says.
Vifor told Fierce Pharma that it is fully cooperating with the European Commission and is “convinced” that it has not engaged in any anticompetitive behavior. The company supports "both fair competition and transparent scientific information," a spokesperson said.
The investigation will determine if Vifor’s behavior amounted to an abuse of a dominant market position.
Both drugs are approved to treat iron deficiency when other treatments, such as oral medicines, are ineffective. Approximately 1.8 million patients with iron deficiency receive treatment with high-dose intravenous products annually in Europe.
Meanwhile, after its sale announcement late last year, Vifor is anxious to be acquired by Australia's CSL. CSL said last month it remained confident it can complete the $11.7 billion buyout as antitrust reviews dragged on.