* Trial next month in Philadelphia covers claims generic

drug prices were inflated

* Teva says Gaza war views could unfairly influence US

jurors

* Humana can still use Teva documents even if Israeli ties

are mentioned

By Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Health insurer Humana

has agreed not to refer to drugmaker Teva as an

Israeli company at an upcoming U.S. drug price-fixing trial,

after the drugmaker said public views on the Gaza war could

unfairly influence jurors.

Humana disclosed its agreement with Teva in a Wednesday

night filing in the federal court in Philadelphia, where Teva

and several other major pharmaceutical companies are due to

stand trial next month on claims they conspired to inflate the

prices of some generic drugs.

The agreement underscores how divisive the issue has become

in the United States following Israel's military assault on the

Gaza Strip, triggered by Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel.

Humana and Teva did not immediately respond to requests for

comment.

In a filing earlier this month, Tel Aviv-based Teva asked the

judge overseeing the case to bar references at trial to Teva's

national origin, arguing it is irrelevant to the antitrust legal

proceeding in the United States and could prejudice jurors

against Teva.

"In the period of almost three years since the start of the

Gaza War, anything connected with Israel has been subject to the

highest levels of controversy, with emotions running high," Teva

said.

Humana in its filing on Wednesday said that its lawyers

during the trial "will not make references in argument or

questioning relating to the fact that Teva is an Israeli

company."

The agreement does not restrict Humana from introducing

documents at the trial just because "the fact that Teva is an

Israeli company can be adduced from the document."

Teva has denied Humana's allegations that it conspired with

other drugmakers to keep the prices of some drugs artificially

high. The drugs include the muscle relaxant baclofen and blood

pressure medication propranolol. The claims in the lawsuit are

directed at Teva's U.S.-based subsidiary.

The price-fixing trial is scheduled to begin on September 15

and end in late October.