French off-patent industry association Gemme has declared a “state of emergency” for French generics as it revealed industry data for 2019 pointing to weak growth. Meanwhile, Gemme says, the country’s biosimilars market is “dynamic” and growing quickly but is still under-performing.

Former Sandoz executive Hector Armando Kellum has admitted involvement in a US generic price-fixing conspiracy, the US Department of Justice has announced.

Continuing UK price rises were seen for nefopam in January, according to the latest figures from market researcher WaveData.

Former Taro executive Ara Aprahamian has been accused in the US of conspiracies covering generic price-fixing and allocation of customers, as well as for making false statements to investigating federal agents.

Legislation that has just been adopted by the Belgian parliament is aiming to tackle shortages by requiring companies to notify local authorities of supply interruptions within three working days, as well as giving pharmacists the option to substitute equivalent alternatives to products in short supply. The new measures limit the risk of excessive sanctions for suppliers, according to local industry association Medaxes.

Pfizer has launched its Ruxience rituximab biosimilar in the US at a 24% discount to the wholesale acquisition cost of the Rituxan original. The firm has also revealed that when it launches its Trazimera trastuzumab biosimilar in mid-February, it will be at a 22% discount to the Herceptin brand’s WAC.