2011

Horizon Pharma releases Duexis, a combination of ibuprofen and famotidine (Pepcid). The two drugs, purchased separately at Costco, cost $9 monthly; Duexis, covered by five patents, cost $1,600 monthly. Deploying 160 sales reps. Horizon’s gross annual sales quickly rose to 85.5 million. Via a “pay-for-delay” settlement, Horizon paid generic manufacturer Par not to produce a generic version of Duexis until 2023. “Patient outrage over the high price of patient patent plays was the last business barrier drugmakers had to resolve  “co-pay coupons” “so that the manufactures can continue to submit bills for the full price of the drug to insurers. A direct payment by the drug company could be considered a kind of bribe, so foundations with noble-sounding missions . . . were often created to cut the checks” (Rosenthal, 112-115).