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Commitments and contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and contingencies
NOTE 12—Commitments and contingencies:
a.
Commitments:
Royalty commitments:
The Company is committed to pay royalties to owners of
know-how,
partners in alliances and other certain arrangements and to parties that financed research and development, at a wide range of rates as a percentage of sales or of the gross margin of certain products, as defined in the underlying agreements.
Until September 30, 2018, royalty expenses were reported in cost of goods sold if related to the acquisition of a product, and if not, such expenses
we
re included in S&M expenses. Commencing October 1, 2018, royalty expenses are retroactively reported entirely under cost of goods sold. Royalty expenses in each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 were $403 million, $536 million and $956 million, respectively.
Milestone commitments:
Teva has committed to make potential future milestone payments to third parties under various agreements. These payments are contingent upon the occurrence of certain future events and, given the nature of these events, it is unclear when, if ever, Teva may be required to pay such amounts. As of December 31, 2019, if all milestones and targets, for compounds in phase 2 and more advanced stages of development, are achieved, the total contingent payments could reach an aggregate amount of up to $426 million.
b.
Contingencies:
General
From time to time, Teva and/or its subsidiaries are subject to claims for damages and/or equitable relief arising in the ordinary course of business. In addition, as described below, in large part as a result of the nature of its business, Teva is frequently subject to litigation. Teva generally believes that it has meritorious defenses to the actions brought against it and vigorously pursues the defense or settlement of each such action. Except as described below, Teva does not currently have a reasonable basis to estimate the loss, or range of loss, that is reasonably possible with respect to matters disclosed in this note.
Teva records a provision in its financial statements to the extent that it concludes that a contingent liability is probable and the amount thereof is estimable. Based upon the status of the cases described below, management’s assessments of the likelihood of damages, and the advice of counsel, no provisions have been made regarding the matters disclosed in this note, except as noted below. Litigation outcomes and contingencies are unpredictable, and excessive verdicts can occur. Accordingly, management’s assessments involve complex judgments about future events and often rely heavily on estimates and assumptions. Teva continuously reviews the matters described below and may, from time to time, remove previously disclosed matters that the Company has determined no longer meet the materiality threshold for disclosure.
If one or more of such proceedings described below were to result in final judgments against Teva, such judgments could be material to its results of operations and cash flows in a given period. In addition, Teva incurs significant legal fees and related expenses in the course of defending its positions even if the facts and circumstances of a particular litigation do not give rise to a provision in the financial statements.
In connection with third-party agreements, Teva may under certain circumstances be required to indemnify, and may be indemnified by, in unspecified amounts, the parties to such agreements against third-party claims. Among other things, Teva’s agreements with third parties may require Teva to indemnify them, or require them to indemnify Teva, for the costs and damages incurred in connection with product liability claims, in specified or unspecified amounts.
Except as otherwise noted, all of the litigation matters disclosed below involve claims arising in the United States. Except as otherwise noted, all third party sales figures given below are based on IQVIA (formerly IMS Health Inc.) data.
For income tax contingencies, see note 13.
Intellectual Property Litigation
From time to time, Teva seeks to develop generic versions of patent-protected pharmaceuticals for sale prior to patent expiration in various markets. In the United States, to obtain approval for most generics prior to the expiration of the originator’s patents, Teva must challenge the patents under the procedures set forth in the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984, as amended. To the extent that Teva seeks to utilize such patent challenge procedures, Teva is and expects to be involved in patent litigation regarding the validity, enforceability or infringement of the originator’s patents. Teva may also be involved in patent litigation involving the extent to which its product or manufacturing process techniques may infringe other originator or third-party patents.
Additionally, depending upon a complex analysis of a variety of legal and commercial factors, Teva may, in certain circumstances, elect to market a generic version even though litigation is still pending. To the extent Teva elects to proceed in this manner, it could face substantial liability for patent infringement if the final court decision is adverse to Teva, which could be material to its results of operations and cash flows in a given period.
The general rule for damages in patent infringement cases in the United States is that the patentee should be compensated by no less than a reasonable royalty and it may also be able, in certain circumstances, to be compensated for its lost profits. The amount of a reasonable royalty award would generally be calculated based on the sales of Teva’s product. The amount of lost profits would generally be based on the lost sales of the patentee’s product. In addition, the patentee may seek consequential damages as well as enhanced damages of up to three times the profits lost by the patent holder for willful infringement, although courts have typically awarded much lower multiples.
Teva is also involved in litigation regarding patents in other countries where it does business, particularly in Europe. The laws concerning generic pharmaceuticals and patents differ from country to country. Damages for patent infringement in Europe may include lost profits or a reasonable royalty, but enhanced damages for willful infringement are generally not available.
In July 2014, GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”) sued Teva in Delaware federal court for infringement of a patent expiring in June 2015 directed to using carvedilol in a specified manner to decrease the risk of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure. Teva and eight other generic producers began selling their carvedilol tablets (the generic version of GSK’s Coreg
®
) in September 2007. A jury trial was held and the jury returned a verdict in GSK’s favor finding Teva liable for induced infringement, including willful infringement, and assessing damages of
$235.5 
million, not including
pre-
or post-judgment interest or a multiplier for willfulness. Following post-trial motions filed by the parties, on March 28, 2018, the district court issued an opinion overturning the jury verdict and instead found no induced infringement by Teva, thereby finding that Teva did not owe any damages; the district court also denied Teva’s motion seeking to overturn the jury verdict with respect to invalidity. The provision that was originally included in the financial statements following the damages verdict in this matter was reversed following the opinion overturning the verdict as the exposure was no longer considered probable. A hearing on an appeal filed by both parties was held on September 4, 2019 and Teva awaits the Court’s decision. If the appeal of the district court’s decision is decided against Teva, the case would be remanded to the district court for it to consider Teva’s other legal and equitable defenses that have not yet been considered by the district court.
In 2014, Teva Canada succeeded in its challenge of the bortezomib (the generic equivalent of Velcade
®
) product and mannitol ester patents under the Patented Medicines (Notice Of Compliance) Regulations (“PM(NOC)”). At the time of Teva’s launch in 2015, annual sales of Velcade were approximately 94 million Canadian dollars. Additionally, Teva commenced an action under Section 8 of PM(NOC) to recover damages for being kept off of the market during the PM(NOC) proceedings. Janssen and Millennium filed a counterclaim for
infringement of the same two patents as well as a patent covering a process to prepare bortezomib. The product patent expired in October 2015; the other patents expire in January 2022 and March 2025. In 2017, Teva entered into an agreement with Janssen and Millennium which limits the damages payable by either party depending on the outcome of the infringement/impeachment action. As a result, the most Janssen and Millennium could recover is 200 million Canadian dollars plus post-judgment interest. In June 2018, the court ruled that Janssen and Millennium pay Teva 5 million Canadian dollars in Section 8 damages. Janssen and Millennium filed an appeal
, which was denied by the appellate court on November 4, 2019. On January 3, 2020, Janssen and Millennium applied for leave to appeal to the Canadian Supreme Court. If the decision is ultimately overturned, Teva could owe the capped damages set forth above. In addition to the potential damages that could be awarded, Teva could be ordered to cease sales of its bortezomib product.
On July 8, 2011, Helsinn sued Teva over its filing of an ANDA to market a generic version of palonosetron IV solution (the generic equivalent of Aloxi
®
) and in November 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey ruled against Teva. The district court’s decision was reversed by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, after which Helsinn filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. On January 22, 2019, the Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court’s decision finding the asserted patent invalid. Separately, in October 2014, Helsinn filed an additional claim against Teva concerning later-acquired patents. Teva launched its generic palonosetron IV solution after obtaining final regulatory approval on March 23, 2018. On November 29, 2019, Teva and Helsinn settled their dispute regarding palonosetron IV solution. The settlement includes a full mutual release of claims and allows Teva to continue to market its generic product.
In July 2015, Janssen sued Actavis and Teva (along with 10 other filers) over their filing of an ANDA to market their abiraterone acetate tablets, 250mg (generic versions of Zytiga
®
). In August 2017, Janssen sued Teva over its ANDA filing to market a 500mg generic version of Zytiga. In both cases, Janssen asserted a method of treatment patent. In January 2018, following a petition for inter partes review, the Patent Trials and Appeals Board (“PTAB”) found the patent to be invalid. In October 2018, the District Court for the District of New Jersey also found the patent to be invalid. Teva launched its generic 250mg product in November 2018. On May 14, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed that Janssen’s patent is invalid. That decision became final on June 20, 2019. Janssen did not seek U.S. Supreme Court review of this decision so this matter is considered closed. 
Product Liability Litigation
Teva’s business inherently exposes it to potential product liability claims. Teva maintains a program of insurance, which may include commercial insurance, self-insurance (including direct risk retention), or a combination of both approaches, in amounts and on terms that it believes are reasonable and prudent in light of its business and related risks. However, Teva sells, and will continue to sell, pharmaceuticals that are not covered by its product liability insurance; in addition, it may be subject to claims for which insurance coverage is denied as well as claims that exceed its policy limits. Product liability coverage for pharmaceutical companies is becoming more expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain. As a result, Teva may not be able to obtain the type and amount of insurance it desires, or any insurance on reasonable terms, in all of its markets.
Competition Matters
As part of its generic pharmaceuticals business, Teva has challenged a number of patents covering branded pharmaceuticals, some of which are among the most widely-prescribed and well-known drugs on the market. Many of Teva’s patent challenges have resulted in litigation relating to Teva’s attempts to market generic versions of such pharmaceuticals under the federal Hatch-Waxman Act. Some of this litigation has been resolved through settlement agreements in which Teva obtained a license to market a generic version of the drug, often years before the patents expire.
Teva and its subsidiaries have increasingly been named as defendants in cases that allege antitrust violations arising from such settlement agreements. The plaintiffs in these cases, which are usually direct and indirect purchasers of pharmaceutical products, and often assert claims on behalf of classes of all direct and indirect purchasers, typically allege that (1) Teva received something of value from the innovator in exchange for an agreement to delay generic entry, and (2) significant savings could have been realized if there had been no settlement agreement and generic competition had commenced earlier. These class action cases seek various forms of injunctive and monetary relief, including damages based on the difference between the brand price and what the generic price allegedly would have been and disgorgement of profits, which are automatically tripled under the relevant statutes, plus attorneys’ fees and costs. The alleged damages generally depend on the size of the branded market and the length of the alleged delay, and can be substantial
potentially measured in multiples of the annual brand sales
particularly where the alleged delays are lengthy or branded drugs with annual sales in the billions of dollars are involved.
Teva believes that its settlement agreements are lawful and serve to increase competition, and has defended them vigorously. In Teva’s experience to date, these cases have typically settled for a fraction of the high end of the damages sought, although there can be no assurance that such outcomes will continue.
In June 2013, the U
.
S
.
Supreme Court held, in Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis, Inc. (the “AndroGel case”), that a rule of reason test should be applied in analyzing whether such settlements potentially violate the federal antitrust laws. The Supreme Court held that a trial court must analyze each agreement in its entirety in order to determine whether it violates the antitrust laws. This new test has resulted in increased scrutiny of Teva’s patent settlements, additional action by the FTC and state and local authorities, and an increased risk of liability in Teva’s currently pending antitrust litigations.
In April 2006, certain subsidiaries of Teva were named in a class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The case alleges that the settlement agreements entered into between Cephalon, Inc., now a Teva subsidiary (“Cephalon”), and various generic pharmaceutical companies in late 2005 and early 2006 to resolve patent litigation involving certain finished modafinil products (marketed as PROVIGIL
®
) were unlawful because they had the effect of excluding generic competition. The case also alleges that Cephalon improperly asserted its PROVIGIL patent against the generic pharmaceutical companies. The first lawsuit was filed by a purported class of direct purchasers. Similar complaints were also filed by a purported class of indirect purchasers, certain chain pharmacies and by Apotex, Inc. (collectively, these cases are referred to as the “Philadelphia Modafinil Action”). Separately, Apotex challenged Cephalon’s PROVIGIL patent and, in October 2011, the court found the patent to be invalid and unenforceable based on inequitable conduct. Teva has either settled or reached agreements in principle to settle with all of the plaintiffs in the Philadelphia Modafinil Action. Additionally, Cephalon and Teva reached a settlement with 48 state attorneys general, which was approved by the court on November 7, 2016, and on July 23, 2019, reached a settlement with the State of California, which is pending final court approval, and is fully covered by the settlement fund explained below.
In May 2015, Cephalon entered into a consent decree with the FTC (the “Modafinil Consent Decree”) under which the FTC dismissed its claims against Cephalon in the FTC Modafinil Action in exchange for payment of $1.2 billion (less
set-offs
for prior settlements) by Cephalon and Teva into a settlement fund. The settlement fund does not cover any judgments or settlements outside the United States. Under the Modafinil Consent Decree, Teva also agreed to certain injunctive relief with respect to the types of settlement agreements Teva may enter into to resolve patent litigation in the United States for a period of ten years. The remaining balance of the settlement fund after consideration of the settlement with the State of California noted above is approximately $19 million. In February 2019, in connection with the settlement of other unrelated FTC antitrust lawsuits, as described below, Teva and the FTC agreed to amend certain
non-financial
provisions of the Modafinil Consent Decree and to restart its
ten-year
term.
Additionally, following an investigation initiated by the European Commission in April 2011 regarding a modafinil patent settlement in Europe, the European Commission issued a Statement of Objections in July 2017 against both Cephalon and Teva alleging that the 2005 settlement agreement between the parties had the object and effect of hindering the entry of generic modafinil. No final decision regarding liability has yet been taken by the European Commission. The sales of modafinil in the European Economic Area during the last full year of the alleged breach amounted to
46.5
 million.
In January 2009, the FTC and the State of California filed a complaint for injunctive relief in California federal court alleging that a September 2006 patent lawsuit settlement between Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Watson”), from which Teva later acquired certain assets and liabilities, and Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Solvay”) relating to AndroGel
®
1% (testosterone gel) violated the antitrust laws. Additional lawsuits alleging similar claims were later filed by private plaintiffs (including plaintiffs purporting to represent classes of similarly situated claimants as well as retailer plaintiffs filing separately) and the various actions were consolidated in a multidistrict litigation in Georgia federal court. On February 22, 2019, the FTC stipulated to the dismissal of its claims against Watson, in exchange for Teva’s agreement to amend the Modafinil Consent Decree, as described above. Teva also settled with most of the retailer plaintiffs in April 2019. On July 16, 2018, the direct purchaser plaintiffs’ motion for class certification was denied, and in December 2019, Teva reached a settlement agreement with the three direct purchasers that had sought class certification. Settlement amounts were
paid in full. In addition, in
 
August 2019
, certain other direct-purchaser plaintiffs (who would have been members of the direct purchaser class, had it been certified) filed their own claims in federal court in Philadelphia, challenging (in one complaint) both the
September 2006
settlement between Watson and
Solvay
referenced above, as well as
Teva
’s
December 2011
settlement with AbbVie involving AndroGel
®
and TriCor
®
, referenced below. Annual sales of AndroGel
®
1
% were approximately $
350
 million at the time of the settlement and approximately $
140
 million at the time
Actavis
launched its generic version of AndroGel
®
1
% in
November 2015
. A provision for this case was included in the financial statements.
In December 2011, three groups of plaintiffs sued Wyeth and Teva for alleged violations of the antitrust laws in connection with their settlement of patent litigation involving extended release venlafaxine (generic Effexor XR
®
) entered into in November 2005. The cases were filed by a purported class of direct purchasers, by a purported class of indirect purchasers and by certain chain pharmacies in the U
.
S
.
District Court for the District of New Jersey. The plaintiffs claim that the settlement agreement between Wyeth and Teva unlawfully delayed generic entry. In October 2014, the court granted Teva’s motion to dismiss in the direct purchaser cases, after which the parties agreed that the court’s reasoning applied equally to the indirect purchaser cases. Plaintiffs appealed and, in August 2017, the Third Circuit reversed the district court’s decision and remanded for further proceedings. Annual sales of Effexor XR
®
were approximately $2.6 billion at the time of settlement and at the time Teva launched its generic version of Effexor XR
®
in July 2010.
In February 2012, two purported classes of direct-purchaser plaintiffs sued GSK and Teva in New Jersey federal court for alleged violations of the antitrust laws in connection with their settlement of patent litigation involving lamotrigine (generic Lamictal
®
) entered into in February 2005. The plaintiffs claim that the settlement agreement unlawfully delayed generic entry and seek unspecified damages. In December 2012, the court dismissed the case, but in June 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed and remanded for further proceedings. In December 2018, the court granted the direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. On March 18, 2019, the appeals court granted the defendants’ petition for immediate appellate review and the district court has stayed the litigation pending the outcome of the appeal. Annual sales of Lamictal
®
were approximately $
950
 
million at the time of the settlement and approximately $
2.3
 
billion at the time Teva launched its generic version of Lamictal
®
in July 2008.
In April 2013, purported classes of direct purchasers of, and end payers for, Niaspan
®
(extended release niacin) sued Teva and Abbott for violating the antitrust laws by entering into a settlement agreement in April
2005 to resolve patent litigation over the product. A multidistrict litigation has been established in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Throughout 2015 and in January 2016, several individual direct purchaser
opt-out
plaintiffs filed complaints with allegations nearly identical to those of the direct purchaser class and, in August 2019, the district court certified the direct-purchaser class, although the court has yet to rule on the indirect purchaser
s
’ pending motion for class certification. In October 2016, the District Attorney for Orange County, California, filed a similar complaint, which has since been amended, in California state court, alleging violations of state law. Defendants moved to strike the District Attorney’s claims for restitution and civil penalties to the extent not limited to alleged activity occurring in Orange County. The Superior Court denied that motion. The Court of Appeal subsequently reversed the decision and review of the Appellate Court decision is now pending before the California Supreme Court. Annual sales of Niaspan
®
were approximately
 
$
416
 
million at the time of the settlement and approximately
$
1.1
 
billion at the time Teva launched its generic version of Niaspan
®
in September 2013.
In November 2013, a putative class action was filed in Pennsylvania federal court against Actavis, Inc. and certain of its affiliates, alleging that Watson’s 2012 patent lawsuit settlement with Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. relating to Lidoderm
®
(lidocaine transdermal patches) violated the antitrust laws. Additional lawsuits containing similar allegations followed on behalf of other classes of putative direct purchaser and
end-payer
plaintiffs, as well as retailers acting in their individual capacities, and those cases were consolidated as a multidistrict litigation in federal court in California. On February 21, 2017, the court granted both the indirect purchaser plaintiffs’ and the direct purchaser plaintiffs’ motions for class certification. Teva settled the multidistrict litigation with the various plaintiff groups in the first quarter of 2018, a provision was included in the financial statements and settlement amounts were subsequently paid
 in full
. The FTC also filed suit to challenge the Lidoderm
®
settlement, initially bringing antitrust claims against Watson, Endo and Allergan in Pennsylvania federal court in March 2016. The FTC later voluntarily dismissed those claims and refiled them (along with a stipulated order for permanent injunction to settle its claims against Endo) in the same California federal court in which the private multidistrict litigation referenced above was pending. On February 3, 2017, the State of California filed its own complaint against Allergan and Watson, and that complaint was also assigned to the California federal court presiding over the multidistrict litigation. On February 22, 2019, the FTC dismissed its claims against Actavis and Allergan, in exchange for Teva’s agreement to amend the Modafinil Consent Decree, as described above. On July 23, 2019, Teva and the State of California also reached a settlement agreement. On September 16, 2019,
end-payers
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network of Michigan filed their own lawsuit against Watson, and other defendants, in Michigan state court. That lawsuit was subsequently removed to federal court and remains pending. On January 24, 2020, the State of Mississippi filed a lawsuit against Teva and Watson in Mississippi state court, which also remains pending.
Since November 2013, numerous lawsuits have been filed in various federal courts by purported classes of end payers for, and direct purchasers of, Aggrenox
®
(dipyridamole/aspirin tablets) against Boehringer Ingelheim (“BI”), the innovator, and several Teva subsidiaries. The lawsuits allege, among other things, that the settlement agreement between BI and Barr entered into in August 2008 violated the antitrust laws. A multidistrict litigation has been established in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. On April 11, 2017, the Orange County District Attorney filed a complaint for violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law based on the Aggrenox
®
patent litigation settlement. Teva has settled with the putative classes of direct purchasers and end payers, as well as with the
opt-out
direct purchaser plaintiffs, and with two of the
opt-out
end payer plaintiffs. A provision with respect to the settlements was included in the financial statements and settlement amounts were subsequently paid
 in full
. The district court overruled certain objections to the end payer settlement, including objections made by the Orange County District Attorney, and approved the settlement. The District Attorney subsequently appealed the court’s approval to the Second Circuit, but that appeal was dismissed in December 2019 and the District Attorney also subsequently dismissed the April 2017 complaint referenced above.
Opt-outs
from the end payer class also appealed certain aspects of the court’s approval order to the Second Circuit and that
appeal remains pending. Annual sales of
 
Aggrenox
®
were approximately $
340
 million at the time of the settlement and approximately $
455
 million at the time
Teva
launched its authorized generic version of
Aggrenox
®
in July 2015.
Since January 2014, numerous lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by purported classes of end payers for, and direct purchasers of, Actos
®
and Actoplus Met (pioglitazone and pioglitazone plus metformin) against Takeda, the innovator, and several generic manufacturers, including Teva, Actavis and Watson. The lawsuits allege, among other things, that the settlement agreements between Takeda and the generic manufacturers violated the antitrust laws. The court dismissed the end payer lawsuits against all defendants in September 2015. On February 8, 2017, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal in part and vacated and remanded the dismissal in part with respect to the claims against Takeda. The direct purchasers’ case had been stayed pending resolution of the appeal in the end payer matter and the direct purchasers amended their complaint for a second time following the Second Circuit’s decision, but on October 8, 2019, the district court dismissed, with prejudice, the direct purchasers’ claims against the generic manufacturers (including Teva, Actavis, and Watson). At the time of the settlement, annual sales of Actos
®
and Actoplus Met were approximately
$3.7 billion and approximately $500 million, respectively. At the time Teva launched its authorized generic version of Actos
®
and Actoplus Met in August 2012, annual sales of Actos
®
and Actoplus Met were approximately $2.8 billion and approximately $430 million, respectively.
In September 2014, the FTC sued AbbVie Inc. and certain of its affiliates (“AbbVie”) as well as Teva in federal court in Philadelphia alleging that they violated the antitrust laws when they entered into a December 2011 settlement agreement to resolve the AndroGel
®
patent litigation and a supply agreement under which AbbVie agreed to supply Teva with an authorized generic version of TriCor
®
. The FTC alleges that Teva agreed to delay the entry of its generic testosterone gel product in exchange for entering into the TriCor supply agreement. In May 2015, the court dismissed the FTC’s claim concerning the settlement and supply agreements, and thus dismissed Teva from the case entirely. The FTC proceeded with a separate claim against AbbVie alone and in June 2018, following a bench trial, the court held that AbbVie had violated the antitrust laws by filing sham patent infringement lawsuits against both Teva and Perrigo in the underlying AndroGel patent litigation. The court ordered AbbVie to pay
 
$
448
 
million in disgorgement but declined to award injunctive relief. The FTC filed a notice of appeal as to, among other things, the district court’s May 2015 dismissal of the FTC’s claim against Teva, but in February 2019, the FTC stipulated to dismiss Teva from its appeal, in exchange for Teva’s agreement to amend the Modafinil Consent Decree, as described above. In August 2019, two groups of direct-purchaser plaintiffs filed similar claims against AbbVie and Teva, in the same federal court in Philadelphia where the FTC’s claims had been pending. The first group, comprised of the three direct purchasers that had sought class certification in the Georgia AndroGel
®
case, referenced above, were challenging Teva’s December 2011 settlement with AbbVie, but in December 2019, Teva reached a settlement agreement with these plaintiffs. The second group, comprised of other direct
purchasers, have filed claims challenging both Teva’s December 2011 settlement with AbbVie and the September 2006 AndroGel
®
settlement between Watson and Solvay, referenced above.
Those claims remain
pending.
In May 2015, a purported class of end payers for Namenda IR
®
(memantine hydrochloride) filed a lawsuit against Forest Laboratories, LLC (“Forest”), the innovator, and several generic manufacturers, including Teva. In November 2019, two additional plaintiffs filed a similar lawsuit – purportedly as
opt-outs
from the end payers class – against the same defendants. These lawsuits allege, among other things, that settlement agreements between Forest and the generic manufacturers to resolve patent litigation over Namenda IR
®
violated the antitrust laws. Annual sales of Namenda IR
®
at the time of the settlement were approximately
 
$
1.1
 billion and approximately $
550
 
million at the time other manufacturers first launched generic versions of Namenda IR
®
in July 2015.
In January 2019, generic manufacturer Cipla Limited filed a lawsuit against Amgen in Delaware federal court, alleging, among other things, that a January 2, 2019 settlement agreement between Amgen and Teva,
resolving patent litigation over cinacalcet (generic Sensipar
®
), violated the antitrust laws. In March 2019, Cipla Limited amended its complaint to name Teva as an additional defendant, and putative classes of direct-purchaser and
end-payer
plaintiffs have also filed antitrust lawsuits (which have since been consolidated in federal court in Delaware) against Amgen and Teva related to the January 2, 2019 settlement. Both Cipla Limited and the putative class plaintiffs seek damages and injunctive relief and the defendants moved to dismiss their claims on October 15, 2019. Those motions remain pending. Annual sales of Sensipar
®
in the United States were approximately $1.4 billion at the time Teva launched its generic version of Sensipar
®
in December 2018, and at the time of the January 2, 2019 settlement.
On December 16, 2016, the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) issued a statement of objections (a provisional finding of breach of the Competition Act) in respect of certain allegations against Allergan, Actavis UK and certain Auden Mckenzie entities alleging competition law breaches in connection with the supply of 10mg and 20mg hydrocortisone tablets in the U.K. On December 18, 2017, the CMA issued a Statement of Draft Penalty Calculation. On March 3, 2017 and February 28, 2019, the CMA issued second and third statements of objections in respect of certain additional allegations relating to the same products and covering part of the same time periods as in the first statement of objections. On February 12, 2020, the CMA issued a supplementary statement of objections effectively combining the three previously issued statements referenced above. On January 9, 2017, Teva completed the sale of Actavis UK to Accord Healthcare Limited, in connection with which Teva will indemnify Accord Healthcare for potential fines imposed by the CMA and/or damages awarded by a court against Actavis UK in relation to the December 1
6
, 201
6
 and March 3, 2017 statements of objections, and resulting from conduct prior to the closing date of the sale. In addition, Teva agreed to indemnify Allergan against losses arising from this matter. In the event of any such fines or damages, Teva expects to assert claims, including claims for breach of warranty, against the sellers of Auden Mckenzie. The terms of the purchase agreement may preclude a full recovery by Teva. A liability for this matter has been recorded in purchase accounting related to the acquisition of Actavis Generics.
Since November 2016, several putative indirect purchaser and direct purchaser class actions were filed in federal courts in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Florida against Shire U.S., Inc. and Shire LLC (collectively, “Shire”), Actavis and Teva, alleging that Shire’s 2013 patent litigation settlement with Actavis related to the ADHD drug Intuniv
®
(guanfacine) violated various state consumer protection and antitrust laws. All cases are now in Massachusetts federal court. In August 2019, the court denied the indirect purchasers’ motion for class certification, and they filed a petition for immediate appellate review, which remains pending. In September 2019
,
the court granted the direct purchasers’ motion for class certification and the parties filed various summary judgment motions, which remain pending. Annual sales of Intuniv
®
were approximately
 
$
335
 
million at the time of the settlement and approximately
 
$
327
 
million at the time Actavis launched its generic version of Intuniv
®
in 2014.
In 2015 and 2016, Actavis and Teva USA each respectively received subpoenas from the DOJ Antitrust Division seeking documents and other information relating to the marketing and pricing of certain Teva USA generic products and communications with competitors about such products. In May 2018, Teva received a civil investigative demand from the DOJ Civil Division, pursuant to the federal False Claims Act, seeking documents and information produced since January 1, 2009 relevant to the Civil Division’s investigation concerning allegations that generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, including Teva, engaged in market allocation and price-fixing agreements, paid illegal remuneration, and caused false claims to be submitted in violation of the False Claims Act. Teva is cooperating with these subpoena requests.
In 2015 and 2016, Actavis and Teva USA each respectively received a subpoena from the Connecticut Attorney General seeking documents and other information relating to potential state antitrust law violations.
Subsequently, on December 15, 2016, a civil action was brought by the attorneys general of twenty states against Teva USA and several other companies asserting claims under federal antitrust law alleging price fixing of generic products in the United States. That complaint was later amended to add new states as named plaintiffs, as well as new allegations and new state law claims, and on June 18, 2018, the attorneys general of 49 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia filed a consolidated amended complaint against Actavis and Teva, as well as other companies and individuals. On May 10, 2019, most (though not all) of these same attorneys general filed yet another antitrust complaint against Actavis, Teva and other companies and individuals, alleging price-fixing and market allocation with respect to additional generic products. On November 1, 2019, the state attorneys general filed an amended complaint, bringing the total number of plaintiff states and territories to 54. The amended complaint alleges that Teva was at the center of a conspiracy in the generic pharmaceutical industry, and asserts that Teva and others fixed prices, rigged bids, and allocated customers and market share with respect to certain additional products, many of which were not previously at issue in the Pennsylvania MDL. In the various complaints described above, the states seek a finding that the defendants’ actions violated federal antitrust law and state antitrust and consumer protection laws, as well as injunctive relief, disgorgement, damages on behalf of various state and governmental entities and consumers, civil penalties and costs. All such complaints have been transferred to the generic drug multidistrict litigation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (“Pennsylvania MDL”).
Beginning on March 2, 2016, numerous complaints have been filed in the United States on behalf of putative classes of direct and indirect purchasers of several generic drug products, as well as several individual direct and indirect purchaser
opt-out
plaintiffs. These complaints, which allege that the defendants engaged in conspiracies to fix prices and/or allocate market share of generic products have been brought against various manufacturer defendants, including Teva and Actavis. The plaintiffs generally seek injunctive relief and damages under federal antitrust law, and damages under various state laws. On April 6, 2017, these cases were transferred to the Pennsylvania MDL. Additional cases were transferred to that court and the plaintiffs filed consolidated amended complaints on August 15, 2017. On October 16, 2018, the court denied certain of the defendants’ motions to dismiss as to certain federal claims, and on February 15, 2019, the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motions to dismiss as to certain state law claims. On July 18, 2019, certain individual plaintiffs commenced a civil action in the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County against many of the defendants in the Pennsylvania MDL, including Teva and Actavis, but no complaint has been filed and the case has been placed in deferred status. On November 13, 2019, several counties in New York commenced a civil action against many of the defendants in the Pennsylvania MDL, including Teva and Actavis, and the complaint has been transferred to the Pennsylvania MDL.
Government Investigations and Litigation Relating to Pricing and Marketing
Teva is involved in government investigations and litigation arising from the marketing and promotion of its pharmaceutical products in the United States. Many of these investigations originate through what are known as
qui tam
complaints, in which the government reviews a complaint filed under seal by a whistleblower (a “relator”) that alleges violations of the federal False Claims Act. The government considers whether to investigate the allegations and will, in many cases, issue subpoenas requesting documents and other information, including conducting witness interviews. The government must decide whether to intervene and pursue the claims as the plaintiff. Once a decision is made by the government, the complaint is unsealed. If the government decides not to intervene, then the relator may decide to pursue the lawsuit on his own without the active participation of the government.
A number of state attorneys general have filed various actions against Teva and/or certain of its subsidiaries relating to reimbursements or drug price reporting under Medicaid or other programs. Such price reporting is alleged to have caused states and others to pay inflated reimbursements for covered drugs. Teva and its
subsidiaries have reached settlements in most of these cases. On October 4, 2018, Teva settled longstanding litigation filed by the State of Illinois against subsidiaries of Teva and Watson for a total settlement amount of $135 million. Teva accepted the settlement while denying any liability with respect to the claims made by the state.
Following
the final settlement payment,
on Jan
uary 8, 2020, the
tr
ial
court dismissed with pr
e
judice
the Illinois litigation. In August 2013, judgment was entered in a separate case brought by the State of Mississippi against Watson, pursuant to which Watson was ordered to pay compensatory damages amounting to $12.4 million. In March 2014, the Mississippi court amended the judgment to also include punitive damages in the amount of $17.9 million. The judgment was affirmed in all respects by the Mississippi Supreme Court in January 2018 and has since been satisfied in full. Certain Actavis
subsidiaries were dismissed by the trial court in an action brought by the State of Utah. That dismissal was affirmed by the Utah Court of Appeals on February 28, 2019. The State’s time to seek further appellate review has expired and the matter is now concluded.
 
A provision for these cases was included in the financial statements and settlement amounts were paid
 in full
.
Several qui tam complaints have been unsealed in recent years as a result of government decisions not to participate in the cases. The following is a summary of certain government investigations, qui tam actions and related matters.
In January 2014, Teva received a civil investigative demand from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York seeking documents and information from January 1, 2006 related to sales, marketing and promotion of COPAXONE
®
and AZILECT
®
, focusing on educational and speaker programs. The demand states that the government is investigating possible civil violations of the federal False Claims Act. In March 2015, the docket in this matter and a False Claims Act civil qui tam complaint concerning this matter were unsealed by the court after the government declined to intervene. In February 2016, the court denied Teva’s motions to dismiss the False Claims Act claims and instructed the relators to amend their complaint with additional information. In March 2016, the relators filed an amended complaint. Teva’s motion for summary judgment on all claims was denied on February 27, 2019. On January 6, 2020, the court dismissed the case after the parties reached a settlement. A provision for this settlement is included in Teva’s financial statements.
 
 
 
 
In January 2014, a qui tam complaint was filed in Rhode Island federal court alleging that Teva and several other defendants, including manufacturers of MS drugs and pharmacy benefit managers, violated the False Claims Act. The qui tam action was unsealed on April 4, 2018 after the government declined to intervene. The relator alleges that Teva and the other defendants induced fraudulent overpayments for illegitimate “Bona Fide Service Fees” in excess of fair market value to inflate prices for the Medicare Part D program. Teva moved to dismiss the complaint. The DOJ also moved to dismiss the complaint, arguing that it lacked merit and was not in the government’s interest to continue. On September 27, 2019, the Court granted the DOJ’s motion to dismiss.
In May 2017, a qui tam action was filed against a number of Teva subsidiaries. The qui tam action was unsealed on June 13, 2018 after the government declined to intervene. The relator in the case alleges that Teva violated the False Claims Act by devising and engaging in promotional schemes that violate the Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”), resulting in false certifications of compliance with the AKS. Specifically, the relator alleges that Teva paid
in-kind
remuneration to physicians through reimbursement support and nursing services in order to increase the number of COPAXONE prescriptions. An amended complaint was filed on October 15, 2018. Teva and the DOJ moved to dismiss the case. On November 26, 2019, the court granted the DOJ’s motion to dismiss.
On March 21, 2017, Teva received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston, Massachusetts requesting documents related to Teva’s donations to patient assistance programs. Teva is cooperating in responding to the subpoena.
In December 2016, Teva resolved certain claims under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) with the SEC and the DOJ. The settlement included a fine, disgorgement and prejudgment interest, a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (“DPA”) for Teva and the retention of an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years. If, during the term of the DPA, the DOJ had determined that Teva had committed a felony under federal law, provided deliberately false or misleading information or otherwise breached the DPA, Teva could have been subject to prosecution and additional fines or penalties, including the deferred charges. In November 2019, Teva’s independent compliance monitor certified that Teva’s compliance program is reasonably designed and implemented to prevent and detect violations of anti-corruption laws. In February 2020 the term of the monitorship provided for by the DPA and Teva’s consent judgement with the SEC expired. Upon completion of this term, Teva’s Chief Compliance Officer submitted a certification to the SEC confirming that Teva has complied with the monitorship requirements. Also, in February 2020, Teva’s CEO and CFO submitted certifications to the DOJ confirming that Teva has complied with its disclosure obligations under the DPA. Under the terms of the DPA, upon receipt of these certifications, and satisfactory completion of all other requirements, the DOJ is expected to move to dismiss the information filed against Teva.
Opioids Litigation
Since May 2014, more than 2,000 complaints have been filed with respect to opioid sales and distribution against various Teva affiliates, along with several other pharmaceutical companies, by a number of cities, counties, states, other governmental agencies, tribes and private plaintiffs (including various putative class actions of individuals) in both state and federal courts. Most of the federal cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Ohio (“MDL Opioid Proceeding”) and many of the cases filed in state court have been removed to federal court and consolidated into the MDL Opioid Proceeding. Other cases remain pending in various states. In some jurisdictions, such as Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, certain state court cases have been transferred to a single court within their respective state court systems for coordinated pretrial proceedings. Absent resolutions, trials are expected to proceed in several states in 2020. A court in New York has set a date, for a liability trial only, to start in March 2020. A court in California also set a date for a trial to start in June 2020. Complaints asserting claims under similar provisions of different state law, generally contend that the defendants allegedly engaged in improper marketing and distribution of opioids, including ACTIQ
®
and FENTORA
®
. The complaints also assert claims related to Teva’s generic opioid products. In addition, approximately 350 complaints have named Anda, Inc. (and other distributors and manufacturers) alleging that Anda failed to develop and implement systems sufficient to identify suspicious orders of opioid products and prevent the abuse and diversion of such products to individuals who used them for other than legitimate medical purposes. Plaintiffs seek a variety of remedies, including restitution, civil penalties, disgorgement of profits, treble damages, attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. Certain plaintiffs assert that the measure of damages is the entirety of the costs associated with addressing the abuse of opioids and opioid addiction and certain plaintiffs specify multiple billions of dollars in the aggregate as alleged damages. In many of these cases, plaintiffs are seeking joint and several damages among all defendants. An adverse resolution of any of these lawsuits or investigations may involve large monetary penalties, damages, and/or other forms of monetary and
non-monetary
relief and could have a material and adverse effect on Teva’s reputation, business, results of operations and cash flows.
In May 2019, Teva settled the Oklahoma litigation brought by the Oklahoma Attorney General (State of Oklahoma, ex. rel. Mike Hunter, Attorney General of Oklahoma vs. Purdue Pharma L.P., et. al.) for $85 million. The settlement did not include any admission of violation of law for any of the claims or allegations made. As the Company demonstrated a willingness to settle part of the litigation, for accounting purposes, management considered a portion of opioid-related cases as probable and, as such, recorded an estimated provision in the second quarter of 2019. Given the relatively early stage of the cases, management viewed no amount within the range to be the most likely outcome. Therefore, management recorded a provision for the reasonably estimable
minimum amount in the assessed range for such opioid-related cases in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 450 “Accounting for Contingencies.”
On October 21, 2019, Teva reached a settlement with the two plaintiffs in the MDL Opioid Proceeding that was scheduled for trial for the Track One case, Cuyahoga and Summit Counties of Ohio. Under the terms of the settlement, Teva will provide the two counties with opioid treatment medication, buprenorphine naloxone (sublingual tablets), known by the brand name Suboxone
®
, with a value of
 
$
25
 
million at wholesale acquisition cost and distributed over three years to help in the care and treatment of people suffering from addiction, and a cash payment in the amount of $20 million, to be paid in four payments over three years.
Also on October 21, 2019, Teva and certain other defendants reached an agreement in principle with a group of Attorneys General from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas for a nationwide settlement framework. The framework is designed to provide a mechanism by which the Company attempts to seek resolution of remaining potential and pending opioid claims by both the U.S. states and political subdivisions (i.e., counties, tribes and other plaintiffs) thereof. Under this agreement, Teva would provide buprenorphine naloxone (sublingual tablets) with an estimated value of up to approximately $23 billion at wholesale acquisition cost over a ten year period. In addition, Teva would also provide cash payments of up to $250 million over a ten year period. The Company cannot predict if the nationwide settlement framework will be finalized.
Following these developments, the Company considered a range of potential settlement outcomes. No single outcome in the range was considered to be more likely than any other outcome; accordingly, in the third quarter of 2019, Teva accrued to the new low end of the range, resulting in an increase in Teva’s previously recorded estimated liability. There was no change in this estimate in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Separately, on April 27, 2018, Teva received subpoena requests from the United States Attorney’s office in the Western District of Virginia and the Civil Division seeking documents relating to the manufacture, marketing and sale of branded opioids. In August 2019, Teva received a grand jury subpoena from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for documents related to the Company’s anti-diversion policies and procedures and distribution of its opioid medications, in what the Company understands to be part of a broader investigation into manufacturers’ and distributors’ monitoring programs and reporting under the Controlled Substances Act. In September 2019, Teva received subpoenas from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) as part of an industry-wide inquiry into the effect of opioid prescriptions on New York health insurance premiums. The Company is cooperating with NYDFS’s inquiry and producing documents in response to the various subpoenas and requests for information. Currently, Teva cannot predict how the nationwide settlement framework agreement (if finalized) will affect these investigations. In addition, a number of state attorneys general, including a coordinated multistate effort, have initiated investigations into sales and marketing practices of Teva and its affiliates with respect to opioids. Other states are conducting their own investigations outside of the multistate group. Teva is cooperating with these ongoing investigations and cannot predict their outcome at this time.
In addition, several jurisdictions in Canada have initiated litigation regarding opioids alleging similar claims as those in the United States. The cases in Canada are likely to be consolidated and are in their early stages.
Shareholder Litigation
On November 6, 2016 and December 27, 2016, two putative securities class actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Teva and certain of its current and former officers and directors. After those two lawsuits were consolidated and transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the court appointed the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board as lead plaintiff (the “Ontario
 
Teachers Securities Litigation”). The lead plaintiff then filed a consolidated amended complaint. On April 3, 2018, the court dismissed the case without prejudice. The lead plaintiff filed a second amended complaint on June 22, 2018, purportedly on behalf of purchasers of Teva’s securities between February 6, 2014 and August 3, 2017. On September 25, 2019, the court denied in substantial part and granted in part the defendants’ motions to dismiss. On December 13, 2019, the lead plaintiff filed an amended complaint, purportedly on behalf of purchasers of Teva’s securities between February 6, 2014 and May 10, 2019. The amended complaint asserts that Teva and certain of its current and former officers and directors violated federal securities and common laws in connection with Teva’s alleged failure to disclose pricing strategies for various drugs in its generic drug portfolio and by making allegedly false or misleading statements in certain offering materials issued during the class period. The amended complaint seeks unspecified damages, legal fees, interest, and costs. Also on December 13, 2019, lead plaintiff and the defendants filed a joint motion to consolidate with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation related actions against Teva and its current and former officers and directors that are pending in the District of Connecticut. That motion is pending before the court.
On July 17, 2017, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio derivatively on behalf of the Teva Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and alternatively as a putative class action lawsuit on behalf of individuals who purchased Teva stock through that plan. That complaint seeks unspecified damages, legal fees, interest and costs. The complaint alleges that Teva failed to maintain adequate financial controls based on the facts underpinning Teva’s FCPA DPA and also based on allegations substantially similar to those in the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. On November 29, 2017, the court granted Teva’s motion to transfer the litigation to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut where the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation is pending. On November 1, 2019, the plaintiff filed an amended class action complaint, purportedly on behalf of individuals who purchased or otherwise acquired Teva’s securities through the Teva Employee Stock Purchase Plan between February 9, 2015 and November 3, 2016. The allegations in the amended complaint are substantially similar to the allegations in the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. On December 13, 2019, the defendants filed a motion to consolidate this action with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. That motion remains pending.
On August 3, 2017, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut by OZ ELS Master Fund, Ltd. and related entities. The complaint asserts that Teva and certain of its current and former officers violated the federal securities laws in connection with Teva’s alleged failure to disclose Teva’s participation in an alleged anticompetitive scheme to fix prices and allocate markets for generic drugs in the United States. On November 1, 2019, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, purportedly on behalf of purchasers of Teva’s securities between February 6, 2014 and August 3, 2017. The allegations in the amended complaint are substantially similar to the allegations in the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. On December 13, 2019, the defendants filed a motion to consolidate this action with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. That motion remains pending.
On August 21 and 30, 2017, Elliot Grodko and Barry Baker filed putative securities class actions in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania purportedly on behalf of purchasers of Teva’s securities between November 15, 2016 and August 2, 2017 seeking unspecified damages, legal fees, interest, and costs. The complaints allege that Teva and certain of its current and former officers violated the federal securities laws and Israeli securities laws by making false and misleading statements in connection with Teva’s acquisition and integration of Actavis Generics. On November 1, 2017, the court consolidated the Baker and Grodko cases. On April 10, 2018, the court granted Teva’s motion to transfer the consolidated action to the District of Connecticut where the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation is currently pending. On December 13, 2019, the defendants filed a motion to consolidate this action with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. That motion remains pending.
Between August 2018 and July 2019, sixteen complaints were filed against Teva and current and former officer and director defendants seeking unspecified compensatory and rescissory damages, legal fees, costs and expenses. The allegations in these complaints are substantially similar to the allegations in the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation, but have been brought on behalf of plaintiffs that have “opted out” of the putative class in the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. The plaintiffs in these
“opt-out”
cases filed their complaints in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Teva and the current and former officer and director defendants filed motions or stipulations to transfer the cases filed in Pennsylvania to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, where the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation is pending. To date, all such cases have been transferred to the District of Connecticut, except the case that is currently pending in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. On December 13, 2019, the defendants filed motions to consolidate all such cases in the District of Connecticut with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. Those motions remain pending.
On June 21, 2019, the Employees’ Retirement System of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida filed a putative securities class action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania purportedly on behalf of purchasers of Teva’s securities between August 4, 2017 and May 10, 2019 seeking unspecified damages, legal fees, interest, and costs. On October 8, 2019, the court granted Teva’s motion to transfer the litigation to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut where the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation is pending. On December 13, 2019, the defendants filed a motion to consolidate this action with the Ontario Teachers Securities Litigation. That motion remains pending.
Motions to approve derivative actions against certain past and present directors and officers have been filed in Israel alleging negligence and recklessness with respect to the acquisition of the Rimsa business and the acquisition of Actavis Generics. Motions for document disclosure prior to initiating derivative actions were filed with respect to several patent settlement agreements, opioids and the U.S. price-fixing investigations. Motions to approve securities class actions against Teva and certain of its current and former directors and officers were filed in Israel based on allegations of improper disclosure of the above-mentioned pricing investigation, as well as lack of disclosure of negative developments in the generic sector, including price erosion with respect to Teva’s products. Other motions were filed in Israel to approve a derivative action, discovery and a class action related to claims regarding Teva’s above-mentioned FCPA resolution with the SEC and DOJ.
Environmental Matters
Teva or its subsidiaries are party to a number of environmental proceedings, or have received claims, including under the federal Superfund law or other federal, provincial or state and local laws, imposing liability for alleged noncompliance, or for the investigation and remediation of releases of hazardous substances and for natural resource damages. Many of these proceedings and claims seek to require the generators of hazardous wastes disposed of at a third party-owned site, or the party responsible for a release of hazardous substances that impacted a site, to investigate and clean the site or to pay or reimburse others for such activities, including for oversight by governmental authorities and any related damages to natural resources. Teva or its subsidiaries have received claims, or been made a party to these proceedings, along with others, as an alleged generator of wastes that were disposed of or treated at third-party waste disposal sites, or as a result of an alleged release from one of Teva’s facilities or former facilities.
Although liability among the responsible parties, under certain circumstances, may be joint and several, these proceedings are frequently resolved so that the allocation of
clean-up
and other costs among the parties reflects the relative contributions of the parties to the site conditions and takes into account other pertinent factors. Teva’s potential liability varies greatly at each of the sites; for some sites the costs of the investigation,
clean-up
and natural resource damages have not yet been determined, and for others Teva’s allocable share of liability has not been determined. At other sites, Teva has taken an active role in identifying those costs, to the extent they are identifiable and estimable, which do not include reductions for potential recoveries of
clean-up
costs from insurers, indemnitors, former site owners or operators or other potentially responsible parties. In addition, enforcement proceedings relating to alleged violations of federal, state, commonwealth or local requirements at some of Teva’s facilities may result in the imposition of significant penalties (in amounts not expected to materially adversely affect Teva’s results of operations) and the recovery of certain costs and natural resource damages, and may require that corrective actions and enhanced compliance measures be implemented.
Other Matters
On February 1, 2018, former shareholders of Ception Therapeutics, Inc., a company that was acquired by and merged into Cephalon in 2010, prior to Cephalon’s acquisition by Teva, filed breach of contract and other related claims against the Company, Teva USA and Cephalon in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Among other things, the plaintiffs allege that Cephalon breached the terms of the 2010 Ception-Cephalon merger agreement by failing to exercise commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize CINQAIR
®
(reslizumab) for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (“EE”). The plaintiffs claim damages of at least $200 million, an amount they allege is equivalent to the milestones payable to the former shareholders of Ception in the event Cephalon were to obtain regulatory approval for EE in the United States ($150 million) and Europe ($50 million). Defendants moved to dismiss the complaint and on December 28, 2018, the court granted the motion in part and dismissed all of plaintiffs’ claims, except for their claim against Cephalon for breach of contract.