By Will Feuer


Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Abbvie Inc.'s Allergan unit reached an agreement with the city and county of San Francisco that settles claims that the companies fueled a surge of opioid-related addiction and overdose in San Francisco, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said.

The settlement provides San Francisco with $34 million in cash payments, in addition to some $20 million worth of Narcan, a medicine used to treat opioid overdoses in emergency situations, Mr. Chiu said.

In a separate release, Teva said the agreement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing, adding that it will continue to pursue a nationwide settlement.

Late last year, a Superior Court judge in California found that Teva did not cause a public nuisance in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Santa Clara County and the City of Oakland, nor wrongfully promote opioid products in the state, the company noted.

A representative for Allergan said the company has agreed to pay about $12.9 million to address opioid-related issues and reimburse attorneys' fees as part of the agreement. "Allergan previously made the decision to voluntarily discontinue its branded prescription opioid business, which had a minimal market share of less than 1% of nationwide prescriptions," Allergan said.

Tuesday's agreement severs Allergan and Teva from San Francisco's ongoing trial, Mr. Chiu said, and closing arguments against the remaining defendant, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., begin later Tuesday.

Write to Will Feuer at Will.Feuer@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-12-22 1224ET