A state court judge in Pennsylvania overturned a key lawsuit this week related to a drug developed by Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson.
Previously another court had awarded a woman from Indiana $27.8 million for her claim that the drug, Xarelto, had caused severe internal bleeding. The drug is used to help prevent strokes caused by an irregular heartbeat. According to the suit, the plaintiff took Xarelto for one year and then was hospitalized with gastrointestinal bleeding. She later recovered.
The woman and her husband sued Bayer and J&J’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit in 2015. The suit is one of about 21,400 pending against the two companies, who jointly developed the drug. The plaintiffs argue that the companies did not adequately warn about the risk of internal bleeding — an accusation the companies contend.
Both companies praised the reversal and said they continue to stand for the safety and efficacy of Xarelto.