Roche says cooperating with S.Korean investigators

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said Friday it is cooperating with South Korean investigators who are looking into alleged illegal sales of its swine flu treatment Tamiflu.

"Our South Korea affiliate has been visited by the Korean FDA who are looking into pandemic stockpiling activities by corporations," said a Roche spokeswoman.

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities," she said, adding that Roche had "provided a significant quantity of Tamiflu to the South Korean government."

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was investigating Roche as "part of our probe into illegal Tamiflu sales and purchases."

The agency said the Swiss group is suspected of helping the Korean units of the giant HSBC Holdings and Novartis of Switzerland to buy large stocks of Tamiflu.