Story highlights Heather Bresch is Manchin's daughter and the head of Mylan

Bresch became a target of derision over the summer after a nearly 500% increase in the cost of the drug

Washington (CNN) Sen. Joe Manchin strongly defended his daughter, Heather Bresch, over growing criticism that her company dramatically raised prices for its life-saving medicine in order to enrich her company -- and herself.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, the West Virginia Democrat broke his silence and sharply criticized lawmakers from both parties who have seized on the rising cost of EpiPen to bash his daughter's stewardship of her company, Mylan. He said lawmakers were trying to be "sensational" by seizing on Bresch's multi-million-dollar compensation.

And he slammed an article in USA Today for questioning whether his wife, Gayle, improperly used her position in an education group to boost the drug's prices, calling it a "cheap shot" and "tabloid" journalism. He praised Mylan as a West Virginia company that saved the country $180 billion.

Bresch became a target of derision over the summer after a nearly 500% increase in the cost of the lifesaving allergy drug EpiPen, which is one of the company's signature products. The drug, which cost around $100 in 2009, shot up to as much as $600.

The move sparked outrage from parents with children who rely on the drug, and even prompted comments from Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on the need to rein in rising drug costs. One of those parents was actually a colleague of Manchin -- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar -- and multiple members of Congress called for hearings on the spiking cost.

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