Israeli drugmaker Teva, one of several drug manufacturers named among those responsible for the opioid crisis in a lawsuit brought by Oklahoma, will pay $87 million to the state to settle the lawsuit, said Attorney General Mike Hunter.
His office noted that the case, in which Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries have also been named as responsible for the crisis, will go to trial on Tuesday before Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman. Hunter’s office further said that the settlement will likely take about two weeks to finalize and that the money will be used to alleviate the addiction crisis in the state.
Earlier this year, drug manufacturer Purdue likewise settled with Oklahoma for $270 million, most of which later went to the Oklahoma State University Center for Wellness and Recovery, The Hill writes.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the state’s legal team’s countless hours and resources preparing for this trial and their dedication and resolve to hold the defendants in this case accountable for the ongoing opioid overdose and addiction epidemic that continues to claim thousands of lives each year,” Hunter said in a statement.
“Nearly all Oklahomans have been negatively impacted by this deadly crisis and we look forward to Tuesday, where we will prove our case against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries,” he added.
Teva did not admit to any wrongdoing under the settlement, which also includes its subsidiaries Cephalon, Watson Laboratories and Actavis Pharma.
The drugmaker said in a statement that it was “pleased” to put the case behind it while defending any claims of wrongdoing made against the company, “including the upcoming federal court trial in Cleveland where the majority of the cases are pending.”
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