Pfizer, the world’s biggest drugmaker, must pay a research center $38.7 million for stealing data compiled by the foundation on its Bextra pain-killer drug, a California jury determined.
State court jurors in San Jose yesterday found that Pfizer stole the information from the Ischemia Research and Education Foundation, which for more than 20 years has collected data on post-surgery medications, reactions, and placebo effects, said Pat Harris, an IREF lawyer. Pfizer said its conduct was “proper” and it will appeal the verdict.
Pfizer got the data through Ping Hsu, a statistician the company hired from San Bruno, California-based IREF, as part of its effort to win approval for Bextra from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Harris said. Santa Clara SuperiorCourt Judge Gregory Ward will determine a punitive award next month, which could amount to as much as $116 million, Harris said.
The verdict “vindicates IREF’s years of hard work putting together this database,” Harris said in a telephone interview. “It allows IREF to go forward doing the work of saving lives worldwide.”
In October, New York-based Pfizer agreed to pay $894 million to resolve most legal claims that its painkillers Bextra and Celebrex caused heart attacks and strokes. Celebrex is still sold, generating $2.3 billion for Pfizer last year, while Bextra was recalled over a rare skin condition in 2005.
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