Portuguese Firm Sues Astra For Damages

Portugal's second largest national drugmaker Medinfar is suing the Swedish pharmaceutical research company Astra Hassle and Astra's Portuguese subsidiary Astra Portuguesa for damages to its image to the tune of 300 million escudos ($1.9 million), which Medinfar says is the largest-ever indemnity action to be heard in Portugal.

Medinfar is one of a number of national drug companies in Portugal that manufactures copies of Astra's antiulcerant Losec (omeprazole). It claims that Astra attacked it through statements to journalists and advertising in both foreign and national media and the Internet.

The firm said it is pursuing the litigation in order to redress "the moral damage already caused by the attack" allegedly carried out over the last three years by Astra to the "image, good name and commercial reputation" of Medinfar "among the consuming public, the medical class and both national and multinational laboratories."