Celgene To Fork Over $280 Million to Settle Fraud Suit Over Cancer Drugs

Celgene Corporation Announces Settlement of Civil Litigation

SUMMIT, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) today announced that it has reached a civil settlement with Relator Brown, the Department of Justice, 28 States, the District of Columbia, and the City of Chicago to resolve the previously disclosed False Claims Act litigation pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The litigation related primarily to allegations that Celgene promoted Thalomid® (thalidomide) for off-label uses before its 2006 FDA approval for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The Department of Justice, the States, the District of Columbia, and the City of Chicago declined to intervene in the litigation.

Under the settlement, Celgene will pay a total of $280 million to the United States, 28 States, the District of Columbia, and the City of Chicago to resolve the litigation. This final settlement includes the resolution of all allegations the Relator made with respect to Thalomid® and Revlimid® (lenalidomide). Before the parties reached a settlement, the Court dismissed a significant part of the case on a motion for summary judgment, including allegations that Celgene illegally paid doctors to induce them to promote and/or prescribe Thalomid® and Revlimid®. Celgene is not required to enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement as part of the settlement.

Celgene has denied any wrongdoing in this matter, but is settling to avoid the uncertainty, distraction, and expense of protracted litigation. Celgene contends, and has contended throughout the litigation, that Thalomid® and Revlimid® are medical breakthrough medicines that have benefitted patients with serious illnesses; that physicians prescribed these medicines based on their independent medical judgment; and that Celgene’s relationships with physicians have been appropriate, and have helped to advance patient care and science.

About Celgene

Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through next-generation solutions in protein homeostasis, immuno-oncology, epigenetics, immunology and neuro-inflammation. For more information, please visit www.celgene.com. Follow Celgene on Social Media: @Celgene, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are generally statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” “will,” “outlook” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current plans, estimates, assumptions and projections, and speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in light of new information or future events, except as otherwise required by law. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of the impact of a number of factors, many of which are discussed in more detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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