Bayer and Johnson & Johnson have put the 25,000 pending U.S. lawsuits related to their blockbuster drug Xarelto to bed with a $775 million settlement.
Xarelto, which was co-developed by the companies and is used to treat and prevent blood clots, has been the target of an avalanche of lawsuits due to accusations that patients were not adequately warned about severe bleeding risks associated with the drug. The companies have repeatedly defended the safety of Xarelto, despite reports that it caused uncontrollable bleeding and death in some patients.
The payment will be split evenly among the companies. Bayer said that the settlement will allow the company to avoid the distraction and costs of continued litigation.
Xarelto is Bayer’s No. 1 sales generator and raked in $4.07 billion in revenue last year.
Read the full Reuters report.