Drugmakers including Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK Plc, Sanofi SA and Pfizer Inc saw a judge rule in their favor on Tuesday after facing thousands of lawsuits in U.S. federal court over claims the heartburn drug Zantac that they marketed at different times caused cancer.
As Reuters reported, West Palm Beach, Florida U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg outlined in the judgement that the claims were not found to be backed by sound science in the opinion of the court.
The companies still face tens of thousands more similar lawsuits in various state courts, but this ruling appears to eliminate a large portion of the companies possibly liability.
Lawyers representing plaintiffs said in a statement, "We are extremely surprised by this miscarriage of justice and fully expect that the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal will reverse these rulings on appeal."
Zantac was first approved in 1983 and became the best selling medicine globally in 1988. It was the first-ever drug to surpass $1 billion in yearly sales, Reuters reported.