8-K 1 a05-17102_18k.htm 8-K

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 29, 2005

 

GENZYME CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

MASSACHUSETTS

 

0-14680

 

06-1047163

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(Commission

 

(IRS Employer

incorporation)

 

File Number)

 

Identification No.)

 

 

 

 

 

500 KENDALL STREET, CAMBRIDGE, MA

 

02142

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (617) 252-7500.

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 



 

Item 8.01.              Other Events.

 

On March 27, 2003, the Office of Fair Trading in the United Kingdom issued a decision against our wholly-owned subsidiary, Genzyme Limited, finding that Genzyme Limited held a dominant position and abused that dominant position with no objective justification by pricing Cerezyme® in a way that excludes other delivery/homecare service providers from the market for the supply of home delivery and homecare services to Gaucher patients being treated with Cerezyme. In conjunction with this decision, the OFT imposed a fine on Genzyme Limited and required modification to its list price for Cerezyme in the United Kingdom. Genzyme Limited appealed this decision to the Competition Appeal Tribunal. On May 6, 2003, the Tribunal issued an order that stayed the OFT’s decision, but required Genzyme Limited to provide a homecare distributor a discount of 3% per unit during the appeal process. The Tribunal issued its judgment on Genzyme Limited’s appeal on March 11, 2004, rejecting portions of the OFT’s decision and upholding others. The Tribunal found that the list price of Cerezyme should not be reduced, but that Genzyme Limited must negotiate a price for Cerezyme that will allow homecare distributors an appropriate margin. The Tribunal also reduced the fine imposed by the OFT for violation of U.K. competition laws. In response to the Tribunal’s decision, we recorded an initial liability of approximately $11 million in our 2003 financial statements and additional liabilities totaling approximately $3 million during 2004 and 2005. Genzyme Limited and the OFT were unable to negotiate a price for Cerezyme for homecare distributors and, as a result, on September 29, 2005, the Tribunal issued a ruling establishing the discount to be provided by Genzyme Limited to homecare distributors at 7.2%, which approximates the figure used to calculate the $11 million initial liability we recorded in 2003.  Genzyme Limited has decided not to appeal this decision.

 

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SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

GENZYME CORPORATION

 

 

 

Dated: October 4, 2005

By:

/s/ Peter Wirth

 

 

 

Peter Wirth

 

 

Executive Vice President,

 

 

and Chief Legal Officer

 

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