If You Purchased, Paid, or Provided Reimbursement for Some or All of the Price of Branded Lipitor® or its Generic Equivalent, Atorvastatin Calcium, You Could Get Money From a Settlement

TRENTON, N.J., July 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED

There is a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed against Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Warner-Lambert Company, and Warner-Lambert Company LLC (collectively, "Pfizer") and Ranbaxy Inc., Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, and Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (collectively, "Ranbaxy"). The lawsuit claims that Pfizer and Ranbaxy unlawfully kept generic versions of Lipitor off the market, so consumers and third-party payors paid more for brand and generic Lipitor than they should have. Pfizer and Ranbaxy deny they did anything wrong. There has been a settlement with Pfizer; the lawsuit against Ranbaxy is ongoing. No one is claiming that Lipitor is unsafe.

Who is included in the Settlement? You may be included in the Settlement if you purchased, paid, and/or provided reimbursement for branded Lipitor or generic atorvastatin calcium and fall within any one of the following definitions:

Third-Party Payor Class ("TPP Class")

All entities that, for consumption by their members, employees, insureds, participants, or beneficiaries, purchased, paid, and/or provided reimbursement for some or all of the purchase price of branded Lipitor or generic atorvastatin calcium, in Arizona, California, Washington, D.C., Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, or Wisconsin (the "Class States"), other than for resale, at any time during the period from June 28, 2011 through and until December 31, 2012.

Consumer Class

All individuals who purchased, paid, and/or provided reimbursement for some or all of the purchase price of branded Lipitor, in the Class States, without the use of a Pfizer co-pay card, from June 28, 2011 through November 29, 2011.

All individuals who purchased, paid, and/or provided reimbursement for some or all of the purchase price of generic atorvastatin calcium, in the Class States, from November 30, 2011 through December 31, 2012.

A more detailed notice, including the full class definitions, and who is not included, is available at www.LipitorAntitrustSettlement.com. 

What does the Settlement provide? Pfizer will pay $35 million into a Settlement Fund that will pay (1) money to eligible Class Members; (2) notice and administration costs; (3) service awards to the class representatives who brought the lawsuit; and (4) attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses. The full text of the proposed Settlement Agreement is available at www.LipitorAntitrustSettlement.com. 

How can I get a payment? If you believe you are a Class Member and want to obtain a share of the Settlement Fund, you will need to complete and return a Claim Form. The amount of your payment will depend on the amount of Lipitor or AB-rated generic versions of Lipitor you purchased and the number of claims that are filed. The Claim Forms, and information on how to submit them, are available on the Settlement website at www.LipitorAntitrustSettlement.com. Claim Forms must be postmarked (if mailed) or received (if submitted online) on or before November 29, 2024.

What are my rights? Even if you do nothing, you will be bound by the Court's decisions. If you want to keep your right to sue Pfizer yourself, you must exclude yourself from the Class by August 16, 2024. If you do not exclude yourself, you may object to the proposed settlement by August 16, 2024.

The Court will hold a hearing on October 1, 2024 to decide whether to approve the Settlement, the plan for allocating the Settlement Fund to Class Members, a request for payment of attorneys' fees of up to 34% of the Settlement Fund, plus costs and expenses, and service awards to the class representatives. You or your own lawyer may appear and speak at the hearing at your own expense. The Court may change these deadlines or the hearing date (and time). Check the website below for updates. Please do not call the Court or the Clerk of the Court for information about the Settlement. 

Want More Information?

Go to www.LipitorAntitrustSettlement.com, call 1-888-831-7612, email [email protected] or write to Claims Administrator 54388, P.O. Box 2694, Portland, OR 97208-2694. The deadlines contained in this Notice may be amended by Court Order, so check the Settlement website for any updates. Please do not call the Court or the Clerk of the Court for information about the Settlement. 

SOURCE United States District Court for the District of New Jersey