Bristol-Myers faces charges

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. was charged with lying to federal regulators over the bungled patent settlement for the drug maker’s blood-thinner Plavix, a planned first step toward it pleading guilty in the case.

A two-count criminal charge was filed in federal court in Washington. The company said May 10 that it would plead guilty to two counts of making false statements and pay a $1-million fine.

Bristol-Myers, based in New York, is accused of failing to tell the Federal Trade Commission about a secret side agreement it had reached with Apotex Inc. to settle a patent-infringement suit.