PHARMA giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) lost an appeal today against a £37 million fine for paying off potential rivals to prevent them from competing against its “blockbuster” antidepressant.

GSK paid three other pharmaceutical companies more than £50m between 2001 and 2004 to delay the launch of cheaper generic versions of paroxetine, which it sold under the brand name Seroxat.

The firm made more than £130m from Seroxat in 2001 and 2002 alone, at which point Seroxat was the biggest-selling drug across the entire GSK group.