MOSCOW, October 14 - RAPSI, Dmitry Shchitov. A commercial court partially upheld a lawsuit by Biotec, a major pharmaceutics distributor, to recover $2.21 million in debt from the Healthcare and Social Development Ministry for the suppied medicines, Biotec's legal service told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) on Friday.

Initially the company sought $3.84 million. Additionally, the court refused to satisfy the ministry's claim to recover from Biotec 1.119 million in penalties.

The company claimed $2.67 million in principal debt under a public medicines supply contract as well as penalties under two contracts worth a total of $1.19 million. The contracts were concluded in December 2010.

The ministry told the court that it recognizes the principal debt amount , however the distributor said it supplied more medicine than the contract provides.

Meanwhile, the ministry's lawyer said that Biotec provided such invoices that make it impossible to pay only for the amount stipulated in the contract.

Biotec believes it executed the invoices correctly. Additionally, the parties disagree on the penalty amount.