HARTFORD -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal this week joined a growing list to sue Big Pharma drugmaker Eli Lilly over its controversial anti-psychotic Zyprexa.

Blumental announced Tuesday he had sued Lilly to recover around $190 million for illegally marketing Zyprexa for unapproved uses. The AG is seeking compensation over the costs to the state of patients' subsequent side-effects.

"Driven by fierce greed, Eli Lilly corrupted doctors, pharmacies and public officials nationwide who easily abandoned integrity and decency for self-enrichment," Blumenthal's release stated.

"Through a complex series of illegal rackets and lies, Eli Lilly built a multi-billion dollar drug enterprise at the expense of taxpayers, consumers and patient lives."

Eight other attorneys general had filed similar suits against Lilly over Zyprexa as of last May, LNL reported. Pennsylvania, Montana and Utah all filed Zyprexa actions against Eli Lilly last year, the report stated.

Blumenthal's lawsuit against Lilly claims the state-run Connecticut Medical Assistance Programs (CMAP) spent over $190 million on Zyprexa from 1996 to 2006. It claims Lilly marketed the drug for disorders like childhood depression whereas the FDA had approved it only for schizophrenia and bipolar mania in adults.