British pharmaceuticals big cap GSK PLC (LSE:GSK, NYSE:GSK) has won a high-stake personal injury case in the state of Illinois, US, over its heartburn medication Zantac.
A jury determined that Zantac was not responsible for the plaintiff’s colon cancer, with the judge rejecting a request for $640 million in damages.
“This outcome is consistent with the scientific consensus that there is no consistent or reliable evidence that ranitidine increases the risk of any cancer, supported by 16 epidemiological studies looking at human data regarding the use of ranitidine,” GSK said in a statement.
“GSK will continue to vigorously defend itself against all other claims,” said the company.
Angela Valadez, an 89-year-old Illinois resident, claimed that prolonged use of Zantac (ranitidine) caused her to develop colorectal cancer.
The trial was one of the first to go to court among tens of thousands of similar lawsuits filed against Zantac manufacturers, including GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim.