Takeda considering options over US Actos court ruling

The US subsidiary of Japan’s largest drugmaker, Takeda Pharmaceuticals (TYO 4502), says that in the case of Jack Cooper et al versus Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, No CGC-12-518535, the jury found in favor of the plaintiffs and awarded a total of $6.5 million in damages, with respect to the company’s type 2 diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone).

Takeda is facing over 3,000 suits alleging that Actos – which generated global sales of 109.2 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in the nine months ended December 2012 - caused bladder cancer or other ailments among patients, according to court records. The Cooper suit is among those that have been gathered before Judge Kenneth Freeman in Los Angeles, USA. There are other cases in state court in Illinois, according to court dockets.

Takeda has filed motions asking the judge to rule in favor of the company as a matter of law and is considering its options, including a possible appeal if the motions are denied. The trial began on February 19 before Judge Freeman.