Türkiye’s competition watchdog Thursday announced it had launched an investigation into 19 pharmaceutical companies to determine whether they had violated competition law.

In a statement, the Competition Authority (RK) said it had decided on Nov. 9 to launch the probe into companies including AstraZeneca, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi and Pfizer. It provided no further details.

Asked about the matter, AstraZeneca said it does not comment on ongoing investigations as a matter of policy, Reuters reported.

GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and Germany's Merck KGaA all said they were fully cooperating with competition authorities in Türkiye, but did not elaborate further.

In a statement, BASF said it was assessing the matter and was committed to high standards of legal compliance and business ethics.

AbbVie, Abdi Ibrahim, Bausch & Lomb, Bayer, Ilko, Johnson & Johnson, Liba, Menarini, Michael Page International, Panasonic, Pfizer, SIFI and World Medicine could not immediately be reached for comment.