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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly)
PFE 25.08-2.7%Nov 14 9:30 AM EST

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To: Anthony Wong who wrote (610)8/4/1998 5:29:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong  Read Replies (2) of 1722
 
Merck Makes N.Z. Dumping Complaint Against Parke-Davis, Roche

Bloomberg News
August 4, 1998, 12:26 a.m. PT

Merck Makes N.Z. Dumping Complaint Against Parke-Davis, Roche
Auckland, Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Merck & Co's Australian unit
said it filed an antidumping complaint against U.S.-based Warner-
Lambert Co. and Switzerland's Roche Holding Ag over the sale in
New Zealand of drugs to control high blood pressure.
The U.S. drugmaker's Australian unit Merck Sharp & Dohme
lodged an application with the Australian Customs Service ''for
the actions of Parke-Davis and Roche to be investigated.'' Parke-
Davis is Warner-Lambert's drugs business.

''Parke-Davis and Roche have breached international trade
law by dumping their ACE Inhibitors in the New Zealand market,''
the unit said in a statement. ACE Inhibitors are a class of drugs
used to control high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.

Merck said the two rival drug companies imported drugs from
European markets at ''dumping margins ranging from more than 100
percent through to just under 400 percent, depending on tablet
strength.''

It estimates the action of the two companies will result in
a 75 percent fall in sales of its own ACE Inhibitor, Renitec.

A spokesman for Roche New Zealand wasn't immediately
available to comment.

Mark Crotty, business manager for Warner-Lambert's New
Zealand division, said the complaint ''has been a surprise.''

''We obviously don't consider there is a basis for it. To
wait until this time to go down this route sounds pretty
desperate,'' he said.

He said the complaint has arisen because the New Zealand
government's drug purchasing agency, Pharmac (Pharmaceutical
Management Agency Ltd.), on behalf of publicly funded hospitals,
will now only subsidize the cost of the drugs at the price
charged by Parke-Davis and Roche, which is less than Merck's
prices.

--Jonathan Underhill in Wellington (644) 498-2201 through the
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