Clearly, Astellas got way out over its skis, on this one. [I might also opine that there is likewise no harm, in a free market economy like ours, in being told one must negotiate in good faith, on price, with an admittedly large purchaser.]
And, as we've long said, there is no constitutional right to force the government to buy one's monopoly product, at one's most preferred price. [Do take note, here Merck -- breaking open the US patent vaults / cabinets, and then these government buyers. . . making some for themselves (i.e., declaring a humanitarian emergency), is within the federal agency powers, on older but still very high priced -- and life saving meds. Like the ten on the current iteration of the list.]
In any event, Astellas (quite wisely) has withdrawn its strike suit.
Astellas realized that it ought to, before the federal purchasing agencies seek -- and win -- awards of their own attorneys' fees, for having to defend what is a patently frivolous federal lawsuit (with what are taxpayer funds, at least at the moment).
Onward, smiling. . . in time, this will be the outcome on all of them, Condor predicts. . . [sure -- it is possible that in some 2025 or 2026 round, an Astellas drug will be placed on the list, but by then. . . Merck will have already lost].
नमस्ते
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