US trade regulator sues to block Amgen–Horizon merger
By 
Anthony King2023-05-26T14:08:00
Federal Trade Commission has concerns that union will allow Amgen to stifle potential competition for Horizon’s drugs
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to halt Amgen from acquiring Horizon Therapeutics. Amgen had announced in December that it would buy the Irish-headquartered biopharma company for almost $28 billion (£22 billion).
The FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction from a federal court to stop the merger on the grounds that it would substantially reduce competition. Specifically, the commission pointed to the potential for Amgen to block rival products from entering the market and compete with two monopoly blockbuster drugs from Horizon.