A more than $1.1 billion settlement, the largest ever negotiated by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, has been reached in the ongoing legal battle against opioid manufacturers, distributors and consultants.  

A.G. James’ office announced the agreement on Tuesday with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., and Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, all drug distributors. 

“Over the course of these past two decades, McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen distributed these opioids without regard to the national crisis they were helping to fuel," James said in a statement. "But today, we’re holding them accountable and delivering more than $1 billion more into New York communities ravaged by opioids for treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts."

As part of Tuesday's agreement, McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen will pay New York a total of nearly $1.2 billion, of which more than $1 billion will go towards abatement.

Payments will start in just two months and will continue over the next 17 years.