Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Cephalon, Inc.; Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders To Aid Public Comment, 64945-64947 [2011-26970]
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emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 202 / Wednesday, October 19, 2011 / Notices
Parties: Hamburg-Sud, A.P. MollerMaersk A/S, MSC Mediterranean
Shipping Company S.A., CMA CGM,
S.A., and Hapag-Lloyd AG.
Filing Parties: Wayne R. Rohde, Esq.;
Cozen O’Connor; 1627 I Street, NW;
Suite 1100; Washington, DC 20006–
4007.
Synopsis: The Agreement authorizes
Hamburg-Sud, Moller-Maersk, Hapag,
Lloyd and CMA CGM to charter space
to Med Shipping in the trade between
U.S. West Coast ports and ports in
Australia, and New Zealand.
Agreement No.: 012140.
Title: CSAV/Siem Turkey Space
Charter Agreement.
Parties: Compania Sud Americana de
Vapores, S.A. and Siem Car Carriers
(Pacific) AS.
Filing Party: Walter H. Lion Esq.;
McLaughlin & Stern, LLP; 260 Madison
Avenue, New York NY 10016.
Synopsis: The agreement permits
CSAV and Siem to cross charter space
for the movement of motorized vehicles
in the trade from Turkey to the U.S. East
Coast.
Agreement No.: 012141.
Title: COSCON and WHL Transpacific
Vessel Sharing and Slot Allocation
Agreement.
Parties: COSCO Container Lines
Company Limited. and Wan Hai Lines
(Singapore) Ptd. Ltd.
Filing Parties: Susannah Keagle, Esq.;
Nixon Peabody LLP; 555 West 5th
Street, 46th Floor; Los Angeles, CA
90013–1025.
Synopsis: The agreement authorizes
the parties to operate six vessels and
exchange slots in the trades between
Vietnam, China, and the United States.
Agreement No.: 201165–001.
Title: Marine Terminal Lease and
Operating Agreement.
Parties: Broward County, Saw Grass
Transport, Inc., and Dole Fresh Fruit
Company
Filing Party: Candace J. McCann;
Broward County Board of County
Commissioners; Office of the County
Attorney; 1850 Eller Drive, Suite 502;
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316.
Synopsis: The amendment revises the
legal description of the demised
premises and provides for the
reassignment of the lease and operating
agreement to Dole.
By Order of the Federal Maritime
Commission.
Dated: October 14, 2011.
Rachel E. Dickon,
Assistant Secretary.
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Formations of, Acquisitions by, and
Mergers of Bank Holding Companies
[File No. 111 0166]
The companies listed in this notice
have applied to the Board for approval,
pursuant to the Bank Holding Company
Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.)
(BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR part
225), and all other applicable statutes
and regulations to become a bank
holding company and/or to acquire the
assets or the ownership of, control of, or
the power to vote shares of a bank or
bank holding company and all of the
banks and nonbanking companies
owned by the bank holding company,
including the companies listed below.
The applications listed below, as well
as other related filings required by the
Board, are available for immediate
inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank
indicated. The application also will be
available for inspection at the offices of
the Board of Governors. Interested
persons may express their views in
writing on the standards enumerated in
the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the
proposal also involves the acquisition of
a nonbanking company, the review also
includes whether the acquisition of the
nonbanking company complies with the
standards in section 4 of the BHC Act
(12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise
noted, nonbanking activities will be
conducted throughout the United States.
Unless otherwise noted, comments
regarding each of these applications
must be received at the Reserve Bank
indicated or the offices of the Board of
Governors not later than November 14,
2011.
A. Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis (Jacqueline G. King,
Community Affairs Officer) 90
Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55480–0291:
1. Midwest Bancshares, Inc., to
become a bank holding company by
acquiring 100 percent of Security State
Bank, both of Tyndall, South Dakota,
and Dakota Heritage State Bank,
Chancellor, South Dakota. Applicant
also applied to acquire control of
Chancellor Insurance Agency, LLC,
Chancellor, South Dakota, and thereby
engage in the sale of insurance in a town
of less than 5,000, pursuant to section
225.28(b)(4)(ii) of Regulation Y.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, October 14, 2011.
Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2011–27055 Filed 10–18–11; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2011–27032 Filed 10–18–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6730–01–P
BILLING CODE 6210–01–P
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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
and Cephalon, Inc.; Analysis of
Agreement Containing Consent Orders
To Aid Public Comment
Federal Trade Commission.
Proposed Consent Agreement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The consent agreement in this
matter settles alleged violations of
federal law prohibiting unfair or
deceptive acts or practices or unfair
methods of competition. The attached
Analysis to Aid Public Comment
describes both the allegations in the
draft complaint and the terms of the
consent order—embodied in the consent
agreement—that would settle these
allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before November 7, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file a
comment online or on paper, by
following the instructions in the
Request for Comment part of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below. Write ‘‘Teva Cephalon, File No.
111 0166’’ on your comment, and file
your comment online at https://
ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/
tevacephalonconsent, by following the
instructions on the Web-based form. If
you prefer to file your comment on
paper, mail or deliver your comment to
the following address: Federal Trade
Commission, Office of the Secretary,
Room H–113 (Annex D), 600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20580.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kari
Wallace (202–326–3085), FTC, Bureau
of Competition, 600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 6(f) of the Federal Trade
Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and § 2.34 the Commission Rules
of Practice, 16 CFR 2.34, notice is
hereby given that the above-captioned
consent agreement containing a consent
order to cease and desist, having been
filed with and accepted, subject to final
approval, by the Commission, has been
placed on the public record for a period
of thirty (30) days. The following
Analysis to Aid Public Comment
describes the terms of the consent
agreement, and the allegations in the
complaint. An electronic copy of the
full text of the consent agreement
package can be obtained from the FTC
Home Page (for October 7, 2011), on the
World Wide Web, at https://www.ftc.gov/
os/actions.shtm. A paper copy can be
obtained from the FTC Public Reference
SUMMARY:
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emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
64946
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 202 / Wednesday, October 19, 2011 / Notices
Room, Room 130–H, 600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580,
either in person or by calling (202) 326–
2222.
You can file a comment online or on
paper. For the Commission to consider
your comment, we must receive it on or
before November 2, 2011. Write ‘‘Teva
Cephalon, File No. 111 0166’’ on your
comment. Your comment—including
your name and your state—will be
placed on the public record of this
proceeding, including, to the extent
practicable, on the public Commission
Web site, at https://www.ftc.gov/os/
publiccomments.shtm. As a matter of
discretion, the Commission tries to
remove individuals’ home contact
information from comments before
placing them on the Commission Web
site.
Because your comment will be made
public, you are solely responsible for
making sure that your comment does
not include any sensitive personal
information, like anyone’s Social
Security number, date of birth, driver’s
license number or other state
identification number or foreign country
equivalent, passport number, financial
account number, or credit or debit card
number. You are also solely responsible
for making sure that your comment does
not include any sensitive health
information, like medical records or
other individually identifiable health
information. In addition, do not include
any ‘‘[t]rade secret or any commercial or
financial information which is obtained
from any person and which is privileged
or confidential,’’ as provided in Section
6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and
FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2).
In particular, do not include
competitively sensitive information
such as costs, sales statistics,
inventories, formulas, patterns, devices,
manufacturing processes, or customer
names.
If you want the Commission to give
your comment confidential treatment,
you must file it in paper form, with a
request for confidential treatment, and
you have to follow the procedure
explained in FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR
4.9(c).1 Your comment will be kept
confidential only if the FTC General
Counsel, in his or her sole discretion,
grants your request in accordance with
the law and the public interest.
Postal mail addressed to the
Commission is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening. As a
1 In particular, the written request for confidential
treatment that accompanies the comment must
include the factual and legal basis for the request,
and must identify the specific portions of the
comment to be withheld from the public record. See
FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
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16:34 Oct 18, 2011
Jkt 226001
result, we encourage you to submit your
comments online. To make sure that the
Commission considers your online
comment, you must file it at https://
ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/
tevacephalonconsent by following the
instructions on the Web-based form. If
this Notice appears at https://
www.regulations.gov/#!home, you also
may file a comment through that Web
site.
If you file your comment on paper,
write ‘‘Teva Cephalon, File No. 111
0166’’ on your comment and on the
envelope, and mail or deliver it to the
following address: Federal Trade
Commission, Office of the Secretary,
Room H–113 (Annex D), 600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20580. If possible,
submit your paper comment to the
Commission by courier or overnight
service.
Visit the Commission Web site at
https://www.ftc.gov to read this Notice
and the news release describing it. The
FTC Act and other laws that the
Commission administers permit the
collection of public comments to
consider and use in this proceeding as
appropriate. The Commission will
consider all timely and responsive
public comments that it receives on or
before November 7, 2011. You can find
more information, including routine
uses permitted by the Privacy Act, in
the Commission’s privacy policy, at
https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.htm.
Analysis of Agreement Containing
Consent Order To Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) has accepted, subject to
final approval, an Agreement
Containing Consent Orders (‘‘Consent
Agreement’’) from Teva Pharmaceutical
Industries Ltd. (‘‘Teva’’) and Cephalon,
Inc. (‘‘Cephalon’’) that is designed to
remedy the anticompetitive effects of
Teva’s acquisition of Cephalon. Under
the terms of the proposed Consent
Agreement, Teva would be required to
divest to Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.
(‘‘Par’’) all of Teva’s rights and assets
relating to its generic transmucosal
fentanyl citrate lozenges (‘‘fentanyl
citrate’’) and generic extended release
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride capsules
(‘‘cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride’’).
Teva will also enter into a supply
agreement to allow Par to sell generic
modafinil tablets (‘‘modafinil’’) for a
period of at least one year; Par has the
option to extend that supply agreement
for up to one additional year if it
chooses.
The proposed Consent Agreement has
been placed on the public record for
thirty days for receipt of comments by
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interested persons. Comments received
during this period will become part of
the public record. After thirty days, the
Commission will again review the
proposed Consent Agreement and the
comments received, and will decide
whether it should withdraw from the
proposed Consent Agreement, modify it,
or make final the Decision and Order
(‘‘Order’’).
Pursuant to an Asset Purchase
Agreement dated May 1, 2011, Teva
proposes to acquire Cephalon in a
transaction valued at approximately
$6.8 billion (‘‘Proposed Acquisition’’).
The Commission’s Complaint alleges
that the Proposed Acquisition, if
consummated, would violate Section 7
of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15
U.S.C. 18, and Section 5 of the Federal
Trade Commission Act, as amended, 15
U.S.C. 45, by lessening competition in
the U.S. markets for fentanyl citrate,
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride, and
modafinil. The proposed Consent
Agreement will remedy the alleged
violations by replacing the competition
that would otherwise be eliminated by
the acquisition.
The Products and Structure of the
Markets
The Proposed Acquisition would
reduce the number of suppliers in each
of the relevant markets. In human
pharmaceutical product markets with
generic competition, price generally
decreases as the number of generic
competitors increases. Accordingly, the
reduction in the number of suppliers
within each relevant market has a direct
and substantial effect on pricing.
Transmucosal fentanyl citrate
lozenges are a treatment for
breakthrough cancer pain originally
developed by Cephalon and marketed
under the brand name Actiq. Three
companies—Teva, Cephalon/Watson
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Covidien—
manufacture and market a generic
version of the product for sale in the
United States. Teva and Covidien both
manufacture their own products while
Watson’s product is manufactured and
supplied by Cephalon. In 2010, Teva
had 43 percent of generic sales, while
the Cephalon/Watson product had 40
percent and Covidien had 17 percent.
Therefore, the proposed acquisition
combines the two most competitively
significant suppliers of generic fentanyl
citrate.
Extended release cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride is an extended release
version of Flexeril, a muscle relaxant.
Cephalon acquired the North American
rights to the branded formulation of
extended release cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride, called Amrix, which was
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 202 / Wednesday, October 19, 2011 / Notices
approved by the Food and Drug
Administration (‘‘FDA’’) in 2007. No
companies currently market a generic
version of Amrix, but Teva and
Cephalon (through an authorized
generic product 1) are two of a limited
number of suppliers capable of entering
with a generic cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride product in a timely
manner.
Modafinil tablets treat excessive
sleepiness caused by narcolepsy or shift
work disorder. Cephalon markets
modafinil tablets under the brand name
Provigil, sales of which totaled
approximately $1 billion in 2010. No
companies currently market a generic
version of Provigil. Teva, Ranbaxy
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mylan
Pharmaceutical Inc., and Barr
Laboratories, Inc. (now owned by Teva)
each filed applications seeking FDA
approval to market generic Provigil
before expiration of Cephalon’s patent.
They all filed on the first day that the
FDA would accept such an application,
making them all eligible for the 180-day
marketing exclusivity period provided
under the Hatch-Waxman Act.2
Subsequently, each of the companies
agreed with Cephalon to refrain from
marketing generic Provigil until April
2012. Cephalon (through an authorized
generic product) and Teva are two of a
limited number of suppliers bestpositioned to enter with a generic
modafinil product during the upcoming
Hatch-Waxman exclusivity period for
sales of generic modafinil.
emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Entry
Entry into the markets for fentanyl
citrate, cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride,
and modafinil would not be timely,
likely, or sufficient in magnitude,
character, and scope to deter or
counteract the anticompetitive effects of
the acquisition. The combination of
drug development times and regulatory
requirements, including FDA approval,
takes at least two years. And even
companies for whom the FDA approval
process is well underway face other
regulatory barriers, including HatchWaxman regulatory exclusivity and
1 Authorized generic products are manufactured
by branded pharmaceutical companies and
marketed and sold under a non-brand label at
generic prices.
2 Under the Hatch-Waxman Act, if a generic
company plans to launch a generic version of a
pharmaceutical product before the patents covering
the branded product expire it must certify that its
product does not infringe the branded company’s
patents or that the branded company’s patents are
invalid. The certification usually results in patent
litigation. If the generic company successfully
challenges the patents held by the branded
company, the generic company may be eligible to
receive a 180-day period of market exclusivity for
its generic product.
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16:34 Oct 18, 2011
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pending patent litigation, that limit their
ability to enter these markets in a timely
manner.
Effects
The Proposed Acquisition would
cause significant anticompetitive harm
to consumers in the U.S. markets for
fentanyl citrate, cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride, and modafinil. In
pharmaceuticals markets with generic
competition, price generally decreases
as the second, third, fourth, and even
fifth competitors enter. Although
generic versions of cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride and modafinil are not yet
available in the United States, the FDA
approval process provides information
about the timeliness and likeliness of
entry by generic products. In addition,
substantial experience and empirical
evidence of the impact of multiple
generic suppliers on prices for other
drugs provide a strong basis to draw
conclusions about the likely effects of
the Proposed Acquisition in the markets
for these products. Moreover, for a drug
with high dollar sales such as Provigil,
the impact from a reduction of
competition during the 180-day
exclusivity period alone is substantial.
The Proposed Acquisition, by reducing
an already limited number of
competitors or potential competitors in
each of these markets, would cause
anticompetitive harm to U.S. consumers
by increasing the likelihood of higher
post-acquisition prices.
The Consent Agreement
The proposed Consent Agreement
effectively remedies the Proposed
Acquisition’s anticompetitive effects in
the relevant markets by requiring Teva
to divest certain rights and assets related
to generic fentanyl citrate and generic
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride to a
Commission-approved acquirer no later
than ten days after the acquisition. In
addition, to remedy the consolidation of
marketers of generic modafinil during
the exclusivity period, the Consent
Agreement requires Teva to enter into a
supply agreement to provide a
Commission-approved acquirer with
generic modafinil tablets to sell in the
United States for at least one year. The
acquirer of the divested assets must
receive the prior approval of the
Commission. The Commission’s goal in
evaluating a possible purchaser of
divested assets is to maintain the
competitive environment that existed
prior to the acquisition.
The proposed Consent Agreement
remedies the competitive concerns the
acquisition raises by requiring Teva to
divest its generic fentanyl citrate and
generic cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride
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64947
to Par, which will purchase all rights
currently held by Teva. In addition,
Teva will supply Par with at least a oneyear supply of modafinil tablets. Par has
the option to extend the modafinil
supply agreement for an additional year.
Par is a New Jersey-based generic
pharmaceutical company with 115
active products and an active product
development pipeline. With its
experience in generic markets, Par is
expected to replicate the competition
that would otherwise be lost with the
Proposed Acquisition.
If the Commission determines that Par
is not an acceptable acquirer of the
assets to be divested, or that the manner
of the divestitures is not acceptable, the
parties must unwind the sale to Par and
divest the products, within six months
of the date the Order becomes final, to
a Commission-approved acquirer. In
that circumstance, the Commission may
appoint a trustee to divest the products
if Teva fails to divest the products as
required.
The proposed Consent Agreement
contains several provisions to help
ensure that the divestitures are
successful. The Order requires Teva to
take all action to maintain the economic
viability, marketability, and
competitiveness of the products until
such time as they are transferred to a
Commission-approved acquirer. Teva
must transfer the manufacturing
technology for the fentanyl citrate and
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride
products to Par and must supply Par
with fentanyl citrate and
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride
products during the transition period.
The purpose of this analysis is to
facilitate public comment on the
proposed Consent Agreement, and it is
not intended to constitute an official
interpretation of the proposed Order or
to modify its terms in any way.
By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–26970 Filed 10–18–11; 8:45 am]
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Office of the Secretary
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Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given that the Office
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final action in the following case:
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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64945-64947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26970]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 111 0166]
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Cephalon, Inc.; Analysis
of Agreement Containing Consent Orders To Aid Public Comment
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.
ACTION: Proposed Consent Agreement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged
violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or
practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to
Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft
complaint and the terms of the consent order--embodied in the consent
agreement--that would settle these allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 7, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file a comment online or on paper, by
following the instructions in the Request for Comment part of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Write ``Teva Cephalon, File
No. 111 0166'' on your comment, and file your comment online at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/tevacephalonconsent, by following the
instructions on the Web-based form. If you prefer to file your comment
on paper, mail or deliver your comment to the following address:
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-113 (Annex
D), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kari Wallace (202-326-3085), FTC,
Bureau of Competition, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 6(f) of the Federal
Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and Sec. 2.34 the
Commission Rules of Practice, 16 CFR 2.34, notice is hereby given that
the above-captioned consent agreement containing a consent order to
cease and desist, having been filed with and accepted, subject to final
approval, by the Commission, has been placed on the public record for a
period of thirty (30) days. The following Analysis to Aid Public
Comment describes the terms of the consent agreement, and the
allegations in the complaint. An electronic copy of the full text of
the consent agreement package can be obtained from the FTC Home Page
(for October 7, 2011), on the World Wide Web, at https://www.ftc.gov/os/actions.shtm. A paper copy can be obtained from the FTC Public
Reference
[[Page 64946]]
Room, Room 130-H, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580,
either in person or by calling (202) 326-2222.
You can file a comment online or on paper. For the Commission to
consider your comment, we must receive it on or before November 2,
2011. Write ``Teva Cephalon, File No. 111 0166'' on your comment. Your
comment--including your name and your state--will be placed on the
public record of this proceeding, including, to the extent practicable,
on the public Commission Web site, at https://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm. As a matter of discretion, the Commission tries to
remove individuals' home contact information from comments before
placing them on the Commission Web site.
Because your comment will be made public, you are solely
responsible for making sure that your comment does not include any
sensitive personal information, like anyone's Social Security number,
date of birth, driver's license number or other state identification
number or foreign country equivalent, passport number, financial
account number, or credit or debit card number. You are also solely
responsible for making sure that your comment does not include any
sensitive health information, like medical records or other
individually identifiable health information. In addition, do not
include any ``[t]rade secret or any commercial or financial information
which is obtained from any person and which is privileged or
confidential,'' as provided in Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). In particular, do
not include competitively sensitive information such as costs, sales
statistics, inventories, formulas, patterns, devices, manufacturing
processes, or customer names.
If you want the Commission to give your comment confidential
treatment, you must file it in paper form, with a request for
confidential treatment, and you have to follow the procedure explained
in FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).\1\ Your comment will be kept
confidential only if the FTC General Counsel, in his or her sole
discretion, grants your request in accordance with the law and the
public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In particular, the written request for confidential
treatment that accompanies the comment must include the factual and
legal basis for the request, and must identify the specific portions
of the comment to be withheld from the public record. See FTC Rule
4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postal mail addressed to the Commission is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening. As a result, we encourage you to submit
your comments online. To make sure that the Commission considers your
online comment, you must file it at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/tevacephalonconsent by following the instructions on the Web-based
form. If this Notice appears at https://www.regulations.gov/#!home, you
also may file a comment through that Web site.
If you file your comment on paper, write ``Teva Cephalon, File No.
111 0166'' on your comment and on the envelope, and mail or deliver it
to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the
Secretary, Room H-113 (Annex D), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20580. If possible, submit your paper comment to the
Commission by courier or overnight service.
Visit the Commission Web site at https://www.ftc.gov to read this
Notice and the news release describing it. The FTC Act and other laws
that the Commission administers permit the collection of public
comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The
Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments that
it receives on or before November 7, 2011. You can find more
information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, in
the Commission's privacy policy, at https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.htm.
Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Order To Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') has accepted, subject
to final approval, an Agreement Containing Consent Orders (``Consent
Agreement'') from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (``Teva'') and
Cephalon, Inc. (``Cephalon'') that is designed to remedy the
anticompetitive effects of Teva's acquisition of Cephalon. Under the
terms of the proposed Consent Agreement, Teva would be required to
divest to Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. (``Par'') all of Teva's rights and
assets relating to its generic transmucosal fentanyl citrate lozenges
(``fentanyl citrate'') and generic extended release cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride capsules (``cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride''). Teva will
also enter into a supply agreement to allow Par to sell generic
modafinil tablets (``modafinil'') for a period of at least one year;
Par has the option to extend that supply agreement for up to one
additional year if it chooses.
The proposed Consent Agreement has been placed on the public record
for thirty days for receipt of comments by interested persons. Comments
received during this period will become part of the public record.
After thirty days, the Commission will again review the proposed
Consent Agreement and the comments received, and will decide whether it
should withdraw from the proposed Consent Agreement, modify it, or make
final the Decision and Order (``Order'').
Pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated May 1, 2011, Teva
proposes to acquire Cephalon in a transaction valued at approximately
$6.8 billion (``Proposed Acquisition''). The Commission's Complaint
alleges that the Proposed Acquisition, if consummated, would violate
Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 18, and Section 5
of the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 45, by
lessening competition in the U.S. markets for fentanyl citrate,
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride, and modafinil. The proposed Consent
Agreement will remedy the alleged violations by replacing the
competition that would otherwise be eliminated by the acquisition.
The Products and Structure of the Markets
The Proposed Acquisition would reduce the number of suppliers in
each of the relevant markets. In human pharmaceutical product markets
with generic competition, price generally decreases as the number of
generic competitors increases. Accordingly, the reduction in the number
of suppliers within each relevant market has a direct and substantial
effect on pricing.
Transmucosal fentanyl citrate lozenges are a treatment for
breakthrough cancer pain originally developed by Cephalon and marketed
under the brand name Actiq. Three companies--Teva, Cephalon/Watson
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Covidien--manufacture and market a generic
version of the product for sale in the United States. Teva and Covidien
both manufacture their own products while Watson's product is
manufactured and supplied by Cephalon. In 2010, Teva had 43 percent of
generic sales, while the Cephalon/Watson product had 40 percent and
Covidien had 17 percent. Therefore, the proposed acquisition combines
the two most competitively significant suppliers of generic fentanyl
citrate.
Extended release cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride is an extended
release version of Flexeril, a muscle relaxant. Cephalon acquired the
North American rights to the branded formulation of extended release
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride, called Amrix, which was
[[Page 64947]]
approved by the Food and Drug Administration (``FDA'') in 2007. No
companies currently market a generic version of Amrix, but Teva and
Cephalon (through an authorized generic product \1\) are two of a
limited number of suppliers capable of entering with a generic
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride product in a timely manner.
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\1\ Authorized generic products are manufactured by branded
pharmaceutical companies and marketed and sold under a non-brand
label at generic prices.
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Modafinil tablets treat excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy
or shift work disorder. Cephalon markets modafinil tablets under the
brand name Provigil, sales of which totaled approximately $1 billion in
2010. No companies currently market a generic version of Provigil.
Teva, Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mylan Pharmaceutical Inc., and
Barr Laboratories, Inc. (now owned by Teva) each filed applications
seeking FDA approval to market generic Provigil before expiration of
Cephalon's patent. They all filed on the first day that the FDA would
accept such an application, making them all eligible for the 180-day
marketing exclusivity period provided under the Hatch-Waxman Act.\2\
Subsequently, each of the companies agreed with Cephalon to refrain
from marketing generic Provigil until April 2012. Cephalon (through an
authorized generic product) and Teva are two of a limited number of
suppliers best-positioned to enter with a generic modafinil product
during the upcoming Hatch-Waxman exclusivity period for sales of
generic modafinil.
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\2\ Under the Hatch-Waxman Act, if a generic company plans to
launch a generic version of a pharmaceutical product before the
patents covering the branded product expire it must certify that its
product does not infringe the branded company's patents or that the
branded company's patents are invalid. The certification usually
results in patent litigation. If the generic company successfully
challenges the patents held by the branded company, the generic
company may be eligible to receive a 180-day period of market
exclusivity for its generic product.
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Entry
Entry into the markets for fentanyl citrate, cyclobenzaprine
hydrochloride, and modafinil would not be timely, likely, or sufficient
in magnitude, character, and scope to deter or counteract the
anticompetitive effects of the acquisition. The combination of drug
development times and regulatory requirements, including FDA approval,
takes at least two years. And even companies for whom the FDA approval
process is well underway face other regulatory barriers, including
Hatch-Waxman regulatory exclusivity and pending patent litigation, that
limit their ability to enter these markets in a timely manner.
Effects
The Proposed Acquisition would cause significant anticompetitive
harm to consumers in the U.S. markets for fentanyl citrate,
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride, and modafinil. In pharmaceuticals
markets with generic competition, price generally decreases as the
second, third, fourth, and even fifth competitors enter. Although
generic versions of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride and modafinil are not
yet available in the United States, the FDA approval process provides
information about the timeliness and likeliness of entry by generic
products. In addition, substantial experience and empirical evidence of
the impact of multiple generic suppliers on prices for other drugs
provide a strong basis to draw conclusions about the likely effects of
the Proposed Acquisition in the markets for these products. Moreover,
for a drug with high dollar sales such as Provigil, the impact from a
reduction of competition during the 180-day exclusivity period alone is
substantial. The Proposed Acquisition, by reducing an already limited
number of competitors or potential competitors in each of these
markets, would cause anticompetitive harm to U.S. consumers by
increasing the likelihood of higher post-acquisition prices.
The Consent Agreement
The proposed Consent Agreement effectively remedies the Proposed
Acquisition's anticompetitive effects in the relevant markets by
requiring Teva to divest certain rights and assets related to generic
fentanyl citrate and generic cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride to a
Commission-approved acquirer no later than ten days after the
acquisition. In addition, to remedy the consolidation of marketers of
generic modafinil during the exclusivity period, the Consent Agreement
requires Teva to enter into a supply agreement to provide a Commission-
approved acquirer with generic modafinil tablets to sell in the United
States for at least one year. The acquirer of the divested assets must
receive the prior approval of the Commission. The Commission's goal in
evaluating a possible purchaser of divested assets is to maintain the
competitive environment that existed prior to the acquisition.
The proposed Consent Agreement remedies the competitive concerns
the acquisition raises by requiring Teva to divest its generic fentanyl
citrate and generic cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride to Par, which will
purchase all rights currently held by Teva. In addition, Teva will
supply Par with at least a one-year supply of modafinil tablets. Par
has the option to extend the modafinil supply agreement for an
additional year. Par is a New Jersey-based generic pharmaceutical
company with 115 active products and an active product development
pipeline. With its experience in generic markets, Par is expected to
replicate the competition that would otherwise be lost with the
Proposed Acquisition.
If the Commission determines that Par is not an acceptable acquirer
of the assets to be divested, or that the manner of the divestitures is
not acceptable, the parties must unwind the sale to Par and divest the
products, within six months of the date the Order becomes final, to a
Commission-approved acquirer. In that circumstance, the Commission may
appoint a trustee to divest the products if Teva fails to divest the
products as required.
The proposed Consent Agreement contains several provisions to help
ensure that the divestitures are successful. The Order requires Teva to
take all action to maintain the economic viability, marketability, and
competitiveness of the products until such time as they are transferred
to a Commission-approved acquirer. Teva must transfer the manufacturing
technology for the fentanyl citrate and cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride
products to Par and must supply Par with fentanyl citrate and
cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride products during the transition period.
The purpose of this analysis is to facilitate public comment on the
proposed Consent Agreement, and it is not intended to constitute an
official interpretation of the proposed Order or to modify its terms in
any way.
By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-26970 Filed 10-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P