Takeda, Eli Lilly to shell out $9 B in damages to Actos takers over cancer risks

A federal court jury recently decided against pharmaceutical companies Takeda Pharmaceutical Co and Eli Lilly & Co in a complaint filed by a user of the Japanese company;s diabetes drug found to have cancer risks. The jury yesterday ordered Takeda to pay $6 billion in a Lafayette, Louisiana court, while its Indianapolis-based is expected to shell out $3 billion, Bloomberg said. On the other hand, the Osaka-based company could pay any final judgement made in the case under a deal between the two pharmaceutical firm partners.

The news agency said former user Terrence Allen sued Taneka and Eli Lilly over Actos and claimed that the companies knowingly hide the fact that the diabetes drug had cancer-causing potential, of which he said allegedly contributed to him developing bladder cancer. Allen said he has taken Actos for over five years beginning 2006. Lawyer Mark Lanier, who represented Allen in the case, argued that Taneka only issued a specific warning about the drug's cancer risks in 2011, which is seven years following experts' statements, who said that the bladder cancer link was became clear and twelve years after the release of Actos in the market.

General counsel Kenneth Greisman for Takeda's US unit commented about the jury decision and said via email, "Takeda respectfully disagrees with the verdict and we intend to vigorously challenge this outcome through all available legal means, including possible post-trial motions and an appeal. We also believe we demonstrated that Takeda acted responsibly with regard to Actos,"

Eli Lilly spokeswoman Candace Johnson also responded to Bloomberg's email and emphasized the troubled drug's role in battling type 2 diabetes. She said, "While we have empathy for the plaintiff, we believe the evidence did not support claims that Actos caused his bladder cancer. We intend to vigorously challenge this outcome through all available legal means, including possible post-trial motions and an appeal."

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, sales for Actos had peaked in the year ended March 2011 at $4.5 billion Actos sales accounted for 27% of the Japan pharmaceutical company's revenue around that time. Court filings also dictated that Actos has generated over $16 billion in sales since its release in 1999. Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd is Taneka's generic drug competition, Bloomberg added.

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Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, Eli Lilly & Co, Actos

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