Italian prosecutors open probe against Roche, Novartis

Prosecutors in Rome have opened an investigation into four executives at Swiss drugmakers Roche and Novartis on suspicion of fraud and manipulation of the pharmaceutical market, judicial sources said on Friday.

The sources did not name the managers.

Earlier this month, Italy's antitrust authority said Roche and Novartis colluded to try to stop cancer drug Avastin from being used to treat a serious eye disease and fined the companies 182.5 million euros ($254.2 million).

Italy's regulator accused the two Basel-based firms of striking an alliance to prevent distribution of Roche's Avastin as a treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in favor of the more expensive drug Lucentis made by Novartis.

A Novartis spokesman had no immediate comment on Friday.

Roche issued a statement saying it had not been informed by prosecutors that any of its managers were under investigation.

"Roche reiterates that it has acted correctly and confirms its confidence in the fact that this will be fully recognized," it said.

It also confirmed that it would appeal against the anti-trust ruling to an administrative court, as it said when the ruling was issued.

Novartis has also strongly denied the regulatory decision and pledged to appeal.