Orphan: date=February 2009 Leiner Health Products is a company based in Carson, California, and is one of America's largest manufacturers of vitamins, minerals, herbal nutritional supplements, and generic medications. It was founded in 1973, and is owned by North Castle Partners, a private investment firm from Connecticut."Local drug, supplement maker signs pact with Indian supplier", Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Business Journal, published March 10, 2003, accessed June 4, 2006.

Business deals

Leiner declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2002, blaming a sudden drop in the price of raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, which in turn lowered industry prices for the products they manufacture. Surprised by the shift, Leiner was caught with a great deal of now-overpriced material on hand, and they elected to sell their products at a loss in order to maintain market position. They emerged from bankruptcy 42 days later, having paid 25 cents on the dollar for $80 million in debt, while deciding to re-focus their efforts on marketing to large chains. The price drop was later determined to have been caused by collusive price fixing by F. Hoffman-Larouche and BASF, in what the United States Department of Justice termed the largest criminal antitrust conspiracy ever uncovered.

On March 10, 2003, Leiner entered into a business relationship with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, the third-largest drug company in India. Under the terms of the agreement, Dr. Reddy would provide generic medications and components, which would in return be packaged and marketed by Leiner.

Leiner filed for bankruptcy again on March 10, 2008, citing difficulties related to poor results on a FDA inspection of the company's Fort Mill plant during an inspection in 2007.Chang, Andrea. "Leiner Health Products files for bankruptcy protection", The Los Angeles Times, published March 11, 2008, accessed March 11, 2008. Leiner indicated that it plans to explore debt restructuring and a sale of the company, and will continue normal operations while doing so.

Leiner was sold to NBTY (Nature's Bounty) in June 2008 for over $400MM.

Fort Mill accident

On April 26, 2006, a flash fire damaged a Leiner pharmaceutical plant in the Lakemont Business Park of Fort Mill, South Carolina. Fire chief David Jennings estimated damages to the plant at $1.1 million, and two of the plant's 600 workers were hospitalized with burns. The fire started in a mixing room, where the workers were blending components for a batch of ibuprofen, and evidence indicates that a spark from the mixing machine ignited a dust explosion.

Complaints over business practices