Who Owns EpiPen?
EpiPen is owned by Viatris Inc. (Nasdaq: VTRS), which gained the brand in November 2020 through the merger of Mylan and Pfizer's Upjohn division. EpiPen is an epinephrine auto-injector FDA approved in 1987 for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. Mylan acquired EpiPen in 2007 and was widely criticized for raising its price roughly 400%, settling with the Department of Justice for $465 million in 2017.
Parent Company
Acquired
2020
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
EpiPen Timeline
Who Owns EpiPen?
- Parent Company: Viatris Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2020
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: Nasdaq: VTRS
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| EpiPen | Viatris Inc. | Wholly owned |
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History of EpiPen
- Founded: 1987
- Founders: Sheldon Kaplan, Survival Technology
- Acquired by Viatris Inc.: 2020
The EpiPen's injector technology began with Sheldon Kaplan, an engineer at Survival Technology who designed a spring-loaded auto-injector originally for the U.S. military's nerve-agent antidote program in the 1970s. Kaplan adapted the mechanism to deliver epinephrine for allergic emergencies. The FDA approved the EpiPen in December 1987.
Ownership of the brand moved through a series of European pharmaceutical hands. Survival Technology became Meridian Medical Technologies, while the commercial rights went to Dey Laboratories, which Merck KGaA of Germany acquired in 1997. Mylan bought the rights to EpiPen from Merck KGaA in 2007, while Meridian, by then a Pfizer subsidiary, continued to manufacture the devices.
Under Mylan, EpiPen became both a blockbuster and a scandal. Annual U.S. sales climbed toward $1 billion as the company invested in school access programs and lobbying for legislation encouraging schools to stock epinephrine. At the same time, the list price of a two-pack rose from about $100 in 2007 to more than $600 by 2016, producing one of the decade's biggest pharmaceutical pricing controversies.
The backlash produced real consequences. In December 2016, Mylan launched an authorized generic priced at about $300 per two-pack, half the brand's list price. In August 2017, Mylan agreed to pay the Department of Justice $465 million to resolve allegations that it misclassified EpiPen as a generic drug to underpay Medicaid rebates. In 2021 and 2022, Mylan and Pfizer together paid $264 million to settle a consumer class action alleging anticompetitive practices around the product.
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Viatris inherited all of this when it formed in November 2020. The brand remains commercially significant: EpiPen auto-injectors produced $155.8 million in third-quarter 2026 net sales, with Viatris flagging competitive pressure from newly approved alternatives.
About Viatris Inc.
What does Viatris own?
Viatris owns the Lipitor, Viagra, Xanax, and Eliquis brands, along with a portfolio of over 1,400 approved generic molecules across cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous system, oncology, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. The company also has a pipeline of complex generics and biosimilars. Its product portfolio was formed through the merger of Upjohn (Pfizer's legacy brand-name drug business) and Mylan (a global generic pharmaceutical company).
Is Viatris publicly traded?
Yes, Viatris Inc. is publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under ticker VTRS. The company has a dispersed shareholder base with institutional investors holding the majority of shares. Pfizer distributed its Viatris shares to Pfizer shareholders in 2021 and no longer holds a significant ownership stake. Viatris returned more than $1 billion to shareholders in 2025 through share repurchases and dividends.
Who founded Viatris?
Viatris was not founded by individuals. It was created in November 2020 through the merger of Upjohn, a division of Pfizer that held legacy brand-name drugs, and Mylan, a global generic pharmaceutical company founded in 1961 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The merger combined Upjohn's brand-name portfolio with Mylan's generic manufacturing capabilities to form a new company focused on providing access to affordable medicines.
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Where is Viatris headquartered?
Viatris is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA. The company maintains its corporate offices in Pennsylvania and operates manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and sales offices across the world. Its manufacturing network includes facilities in the United States, India, Europe, and China.
How many brands does Viatris own?
Viatris owns four key brand-name medicines: Lipitor, Viagra, Xanax, and Eliquis. The company also owns a portfolio of over 1,400 approved generic molecules across multiple therapeutic areas. In 2025, the company generated approximately $324 million in new product revenues and expects $450 million to $550 million in new product revenues in 2026 from its pipeline of generic and complex generic products.
Who owns Viatris?
Viatris is a publicly traded company with a dispersed shareholder base. Institutional investors, including mutual funds and investment firms, hold the majority of shares. No single shareholder has controlling ownership. Pfizer, the former parent of Upjohn, distributed its Viatris shares to Pfizer shareholders in 2021 and no longer holds a significant stake. The company is governed by a board of directors with independent representation.
What are Viatris's largest brands?
Lipitor and Viagra are Viatris's most recognizable brand-name products. Lipitor is a cholesterol-lowering statin medication originally developed by Pfizer. Viagra is an erectile dysfunction medication also originally developed by Pfizer. Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, and Eliquis, an anticoagulant, are the company's other major brand-name products. Together, these brands contribute to the Developed Markets segment, which generated $8.5 billion in revenue in 2025.
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- Founded: 2020
- Headquarters: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: Nasdaq: VTRS
- Revenue: $14.3 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: approximately 32,000
Where Is EpiPen Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States
EpiPen Categories & Tags
EpiPen Recalls & Controversies
Pricing controversy (2007 to 2016): Under Mylan, the list price of an EpiPen two-pack rose from about $100 to more than $600, a roughly 400% increase that drew congressional hearings and sustained public criticism in 2016. Mylan responded by launching an authorized generic at half the price.
DOJ settlement (2017): Mylan paid the U.S. Department of Justice $465 million to resolve allegations that it misclassified EpiPen as a generic under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, underpaying rebates for years.
Antitrust class settlement (2021 to 2022): Mylan and Pfizer paid a combined $264 million to settle a nationwide class action alleging that reverse-payment deals and marketing practices delayed generic competition for EpiPen.
Device recalls: Meridian-manufactured EpiPens have been subject to several recalls over device failure risks, including a 2017 recall covering certain lots in multiple countries due to potential activation failures. Affected lots were replaced.
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Brands Owned by Viatris Inc.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsCelebrex
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for celecoxib, a COX-2 selective anti-inflammatory for arthritis and pain, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1998.
anti-inflammatorynsaidarthritis
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsLipitor
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for atorvastatin, the world's best-selling prescription drug from 1996 to 2012, generating over $125 billion in cumulative sales. Originally developed by Parke-Davis and acquired by Pfizer in 2000. Now owned by Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) since November 2020. FY2025 net sales of $1.55 billion.
cardiovascularcholesterolstatin
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsLyrica
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for pregabalin, a medication for neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and epilepsy. Originally developed by Pfizer, now owned by Viatris (NASDAQ: VTRS) following the 2020 Upjohn spinoff. US patent expired 2019.
pain-reliefneuropathic-painfibromyalgia
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsNorvasc
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for amlodipine, a once-daily calcium channel blocker for hypertension and angina, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1992.
cardiovascularblood-pressurecalcium-channel-blocker
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsViagra
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for sildenafil citrate, the first oral erectile dysfunction treatment approved by the FDA in 1998. Originally developed by Pfizer, now owned by Viatris following the 2020 Upjohn spinoff and Mylan merger.
erectile-dysfunctionmens-healthprescription
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsViatris
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Corporate brand of Viatris Inc., the global pharmaceutical company formed in 2020 from the merger of Pfizer's Upjohn division and Mylan, selling medicines in more than 165 countries.
pharmaceuticalsgenericsbranded-generics
EpiPen Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Unified brand and manufacturing under one company since the Upjohn merger simplifies the supply chain
- +Decades of brand dominance give EpiPen deep formulary placement and prescriber familiarity
- +Authorized generic lets Viatris capture both brand and value segments
- +Global distribution infrastructure supports sales in more than 100 countries
Considerations
- -The pricing scandal permanently attached Mylan-era reputational risk to the brand and its owner
- -New delivery formats, especially the neffy nasal spray, threaten the auto-injector's core advantage
- -Regulatory and litigation history keeps the product under sustained scrutiny
- -U.S. revenue concentration makes the brand sensitive to formulary and pricing shifts
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Frequently Asked Questions About EpiPen
Sources & Further Reading
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Competitors to EpiPen
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viatris | USA | 1998 | Premium | Global | All-ages | |
| Viatris | USA | 1996 | Premium | Global | All-ages | |
| Viatris | USA | 1992 | Mass market | Global | All-ages | |
| Viatris | USA | 2020 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Viatris | USA | 1981 | Premium | United states | All Genders | |
| Viatris | USA | 1991 | Premium | Global | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsCelebrex
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for celecoxib, a COX-2 selective anti-inflammatory for arthritis and pain, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1998.
anti-inflammatorynsaidarthritis
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsLipitor
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for atorvastatin, the world's best-selling prescription drug from 1996 to 2012, generating over $125 billion in cumulative sales. Originally developed by Parke-Davis and acquired by Pfizer in 2000. Now owned by Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) since November 2020. FY2025 net sales of $1.55 billion.
cardiovascularcholesterolstatin
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsNorvasc
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for amlodipine, a once-daily calcium channel blocker for hypertension and angina, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1992.
cardiovascularblood-pressurecalcium-channel-blocker
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsViatris
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Corporate brand of Viatris Inc., the global pharmaceutical company formed in 2020 from the merger of Pfizer's Upjohn division and Mylan, selling medicines in more than 165 countries.
pharmaceuticalsgenericsbranded-generics
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsXanax
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for alprazolam, the most prescribed benzodiazepine in the United States, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1981 and a Schedule IV controlled substance.
anxietybenzodiazepineprescription
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsZoloft
Owned by Viatris Inc.
Brand name for sertraline, one of the most prescribed SSRI antidepressants in the United States, owned by Viatris since the 2020 Upjohn merger. FDA approved in 1991.
antidepressantssriprescription
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: EpiPen competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to EpiPen
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Viatris Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsGE HealthCare
Owned by GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.
Independent publicly traded healthcare technology company spun off from General Electric in January 2023, providing medical imaging, diagnostics, and healthcare IT solutions globally.
healthcare-technologymedical-imagingdiagnostics
Publicly Traded
GE HealthCare operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsHCA Healthcare
Owned by HCA Healthcare, Inc.
HCA Healthcare is the flagship brand of the largest U.S. for-profit hospital operator, a network of 190 hospitals and about 2,500 ambulatory sites across 19 states and England.
hospitalshealthcareemergency-care
Publicly Traded
HCA Healthcare operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsPfizer
Owned by Pfizer Inc.
American multinational pharmaceutical corporation developing and manufacturing medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.
pharmaceuticalvaccinesmedicines
Publicly Traded
Pfizer operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsPhilips
Owned by Koninklijke Philips N.V.
Health technology brand owned by Koninklijke Philips N.V., a publicly traded Dutch company listed on Euronext Amsterdam (PHIA). Covers medical imaging, patient monitoring, and personal health products.
healthcare-technologyelectronicsmedical-devices
Publicly Traded
Philips operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsRegeneron
Owned by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Biotechnology brand of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, developer of Eylea, Dupixent, and Libtayo, headquartered in Tarrytown, New York.
biotechnologypharmaceuticalseylea
Publicly Traded
Regeneron operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsTirosint
Owned by IBSA Institut Biochimique S.A.
IBSA Institut Biochimique SA's branded levothyroxine softgel capsule (Tirosint) and liquid solution (Tirosint-SOL), FDA approved for hypothyroidism, formulated without dyes, gluten, lactose, alcohol, or sugar, providing an excipient-free alternative to conventional levothyroxine tablets for patients with sensitivities or absorption issues.
levothyroxinehypothyroidismthyroid
Privately Owned
Tirosint is privately owned, unlike EpiPen which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Viatris Inc. Stock Information
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