MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that more than one pharmaceutical company can be tried at the same time in the state's lawsuit accusing drug companies of overcharging the state's Medicaid program.

The state has filed suit against more than 70 companies and had sought to combine some of the cases. The drug companies had asked the Supreme Court to order that each company be tried separately.

Montgomery attorney Jere Beasley, who represents the state in the case, said the ruling clears the way for trial to begin June 16 on a suit against two of the companies, Novartis AG's pharmaceutical division and SmithKline Beecham Corp.

In the first trial in February, a state court jury awarded the state $215 million in its Medicaid drug pricing fraud case against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.