N.Y. Federal Judge Dismisses Action Accusing Pfizer of Selling Contaminated Chantix

NEW YORK — A New York federal judge has dismissed a putative class action accusing Pfizer of selling its smoking cessation drug Chantix that was contaminated with a probable human carcinogen, finding the plaintiffs failed to identify any fraudulent statement made by the drug maker.

In the Feb. 16 order, Judge Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York explained that Pfizer knew its drug was contaminated by N-nitroso-varenicline at the time the plaintiffs purchased it.

Chantix (varenicline) is a varenicline-containing drug (VCD) that was approved in May 2006 to aid in smoking cessation. …