Fake Batches of Eli Lilly Drug Zyprexa Found in UK

(May 24, 2007) -- LONDON - Three counterfeit batches of Eli Lilly and Co's best-selling schizophrenia drug Zyprexa have been discovered in the British supply chain, the country's drugs regulator said on Thursday.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had issued a market recall on the affected consignments of the drug, to minimise the risk to patients.

"To date, it is believed that two of the batches have reached patient level. We take this very seriously and a criminal investigation is being carried out," the agency said in a statement.

One person has been arrested and is on bail, but has not yet been charged.

The MHRA said patients should contact their pharmacist as soon as possible if they were taking Zyprexa 10mg tablets with the batch numbers A229505, A200127 or A216454.

Initial laboratory tests on the seized counterfeits have found they contain around 60 percent of the labelled active ingredient. Work is still continuing to find out if there are any additional ingredients that could be harmful, although there is no evidence yet of any adverse patient reactions.

The MHRA was told about the fakes by Eli Lilly, which was itself informed by a company printing labels for its products, after a drug repackager became suspicious.

Counterfeit medicines are a growing problem around the world, particularly in poorly regulated developing world markets.

But criminals are also finding it a lucrative business in the West, prompting the European Parliament to hold a high-profile symposium on the subject earlier this month.

Batches of counterfeit Lipitor, Pfizer Inc.'s top-selling cholesterol drug, have also been found in Britain on several occasions in recent years.

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Pfizer and other big drugmakers argue that European rules allowing so-called "parallel trade" of medicines is fuelling the counterfeit traffic. Parallel trade is the legal practice in Europe whereby drugs are imported for repackaging and resale in high-price countries, like Britain, from countries where prices are lower, such as in southern Europe.

The European Association of Euro-Pharmaceutical Companies, representing parallel traders, says the allegations are simply a smear campaign by drug firms seeking to suppress competition.

By: Ben Hirschler
Source: Reuters

Last updated: 05/07

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