NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KemPharm, Inc. (“KemPharm”) announced today that it has filed an Answer and Counter-Claims against Shire LLC (“Shire”), a subsidiary of Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY). KemPharm’s Answer denies the allegations of Shire’s Complaint, raises affirmative defenses, and makes claims for unfair competition, antitrust violations and other relief. The counterclaims were filed in response to a lawsuit filed in Virginia on September 30, 2010, by Shire against KemPharm and Travis Mickle, Ph.D., President and CEO of KemPharm, alleging claims for breach of contract, and intentional interference with contract, related to Dr. Mickle’s prior employment with New River Pharmaceuticals. The antitrust claims assert that the Shire lawsuit is objectively baseless and brought with an improper motive to interfere with KemPharm’s business.
