A federal jury awarded Claudio De Simone, MD, $18 million after they ruled VSL Pharmaceuticals created an unauthorized copycat product and tried to sell it without clinically testing it.
What you should know:
1. Dr. De Simone created his probiotic product, VSL#3, while working at VSL Pharmaceuticals. The company later allegedly created a copycat of VSL#3 and began selling it.
2. Dr. De Simone never revealed the product's proprietary formula to VSL Pharmaceuticals. In court, he was able to prove VSL created the copycat product and sold it before clinically testing it.
3. Dr. De Simone has since left VSL Pharmaceuticals and partnered with a new pharmaceutical company.