Malvern-based Endo International has agreed to pay up to $465 million over several years to settle federal civil and criminal charges over its marketing and sale of opioids, writes Soma Biswas for The Wall Street Journal.

The settlement means that the pharmaceutical company is close to clearing the final major hurdle it has to overcome in order to finalize a restructuring plan that would give ownership of the company to its lenders.

Overwhelmed by thousands of lawsuits over its sale and marketing of painkiller Opana ER, Endo filed for bankruptcy in 2022.

Under the recently reached settlement, Endo can pay $200 million once it wraps up its bankruptcy case, or it can opt to make installment payments of a total of $365 million over ten years.

Also, the company has to pay up to an additional $100 million between 2024 and 2028 based on its financial performance.

“Bankruptcy protections are not a free pass to evade responsibility for criminal misconduct, civil fraud, or taxes,” said Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney in New York.

Read more about Endo International in The Wall Street Journal.