Attorney General Rutledge announces victory ruling in antitrust lawsuit

Little Rock, Arkansas – On Wednesday, Attorney General Rutledge announced that a federal district court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of Arkansas and 41 other states to proceed with its antitrust lawsuit against Indivior, Inc. and Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

In a press release, the suit is in reference to the office’s claim of market manipulation from the company’s product Suboxone which is a prescription medication commonly used to treat opioid addiction.

“Thousands of individuals rely on Suboxone to aid them in beating their opioid addiction,” Rutledge said. “Protecting access to lifesaving treatments is crucial to be successful in the war on opioid addiction.”

The ruling was made by federal Judge Mitchell Goldberg who denied Indivior, Inc.’s “Motion for Summary Judgment” which would have immediately ended the lawsuit.

The court found facts and established a law that would allow the coalition to proceed with the lawsuit, according to the release.

The state is alleging that Indivior, Inc. used illegal means to switch the Suboxone market from tablet medication to film medication all while attempting to destroy the market for tablets, leading to the preservation of the company’s drug monopoly.

Rutledge is joined by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

According to officials, a trial has not yet been scheduled, but one is expected in 2023.