written on 05.06.2014

Italian fraud squad raids drug agency in Roche-Novartis probe

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Italian finance police searched the offices of the Italian Medicines Agency, looking for evidence in a criminal probe of potential fraud and market manipulation by the Swiss drugmakers Novartis and Roche. Officials have been investigating allegations that the two companies colluded to boost sales of Lucentis, their eye drug, by sidelining off-label use of the drug's close cousin, Avastin.