The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided not to pursue a ban against the former chief executives of private‑equity firm Cinven, Supraj Rajagopalan and Alex Leslie, over their involvement in an NHS drug price‑gouging scandal. The regulator said it will no longer seek a court order to disqualify them from running companies, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The CMA remains focused on John Beighton, who was chief executive of the drug manufacturer owned by Cinven at the time of the infringement. It plans to apply for a competition disqualification order against him in the High Court. This follows a court‑upheld £52mn fine imposed on Cinven last year for illegally raising the price of liothyronine tablets sold to the UK’s National Health Service between 2009 and 2017.

Supraj Rajagopalan said the investigation concerning him has been closed with no action taken, calling it the right outcome. Alex Leslie declined to comment, and Beighton could not be reached for remark. The CMA’s decision marks the latest turn in a saga that began when Cinven acquired Mercury Pharma and Amdipharm Group in 2013, forming the business now known as Advanz.

The regulator emphasized that, based on the facts, it believes proceedings against Beighton are warranted, while the earlier allegations against Rajagopalan and Leslie will not proceed further.