Valeant has told outgoing CEO to cooperate with Senate

  • Associated Press
  • Monday, April 11, 2016 1:46pm
  • Business

Valeant Pharmaceuticals asked its CEO to cooperate with a Senate investigation into drug pricing after he failed to appear for a deposition.

The Senate Special Committee on Aging said last week that it planned to start legal proceedings against J. Michael Pearson, who is leaving Valeant after months of turmoil for the drugmaker. Pearson is still under subpoena to appear before the committee for an April 27 hearing.

The committee is planning its third hearing since December on soaring drug prices.

“The Board has requested Mr. Pearson’s cooperation in connection with a subpoena for deposition from the Senate Committee on Aging prior to the Committee’s scheduled April 27 hearing,” Valeant said in a release Monday. “The Board understands that Mr. Pearson is in dialogue with the Senate Committee on Aging regarding his deposition and that those discussions are ongoing.”

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. has built its business in part by buying rights to older drugs and then hiking their prices. The Canadian drugmaker faces three federal probes into its accounting and business practices.

Shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. slid almost 4 percent in midday trading Monday.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.