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  • Seventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of Exchange Act Claims Against A Biopharmaceutical Company In Connection With Its Tender Offer To Repurchase Its Stock
     
    06/30/2020

    On June 22, 2020, a Seventh Circuit panel of three judges affirmed a district court ruling dismissing securities fraud claims against a biopharmaceutical company (the “Company”) and one of its officers in connection with a Dutch auction tender offer the Company made to repurchase certain of the Company’s outstanding shares.  Walleye Trading LLC v. AbbVie Inc., et al., No. 19-3063 (7th Cir. June 22, 2020).  Plaintiff, a shareholder of the Company, alleged that the Company violated Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) when the Company announced preliminary results of the tender offer and subsequently announced corrected results later that same day after trading closed.  Plaintiff also alleged that one of the Company’s officers violated section 20(a) of the Exchange Act.  The District Court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim and the Seventh Circuit affirmed.