GSK Loses Expert Defense In Upcoming Zantac Iawsuit

 

GSK Loses Expert Defense In Upcoming Zantac lawsuit

March 24 (Reuters) - A California judge on Thursday rejected GSK Plc's request to withhold expert testimony linking the discontinued antidepressant Zantac to cancer in an upcoming trial, signaling a setback for the drugmaker. Britain is facing legal action over the drug in the United States. State. across the United States.

GSK shares fell 3.6% on Friday. Analysts said that the judgment of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evalio Grillo is not surprising, and that the case may affect the prices of drug dealers until the trial begins on July 24.

The Trial Will Be The First Test Of Zantac's Cancer Claims To Go Before A Jury.

"Our client will have his day in court, and we look forward to presenting to the jury evidence that GSK has known for decades that Zantac has significant carcinogenic potential," said Jennifer Moore, an attorney for Goetz and others. Another Zantac chaser said. . , said in a statement. GlaxoSmithKline said in a statement that it disagreed with the decision and would defend the case during the trial.

It was first sold under the GSK banner, then sold to Pfizer ( PFE.N ), Boehringer Ingelheim and finally Sanofi              ( SASY.PA ). These companies maintain legal documents.

The companies won a major victory in December, when a federal judge dismissed all of Zantac's nearly 50,000 lawsuits in US federal court, after finding that the opinions of the plaintiffs' expert witnesses linked the drug body and cancer without strong scientific support.

Although NDMA is present in small amounts in food and water, it is known to cause cancer in high doses. In 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed all Zantac brands and generics from the market, prompting several lawsuits.

It is not surprising, analysts say, that Grillo's decision is different from that of the federal court, as California courts are known to be friendly to plaintiffs.

"Obviously that removes the blue sky condition to completely eliminate the issue, but that's not what people expect."

Citi analysts said the size could make any GSK liquidation "very similar," at less than $5 billion, and noted that the statute of limitations would reduce the issue somewhat.