• April 27, 2010

AstraZeneca has completed a deal to pay $520 million to settle federal investigations into its marketing practices for its schizophrenia drug, Seroquel.

The London-based company was accused of paying kickbacks to doctors as part of an illegal scheme to market the drugs for unapproved uses such as by children, the elderly, veterans and prisoners.

Glenn Engelmann, AstraZeneca's U.S. general counsel, released a statement saying the company denies the allegations but settled the investigation with the payment. AstraZeneca agreed to sign a corporate integrity agreement with the federal government over its marketing of Seroquel for unapproved uses, but will not face criminal charges, company and federal officials said.

AstraZeneca still faces more than 25,000 civil lawsuits filed on behalf of patients contending that the company did not disclose the drug's risks.--Tanya Irwin