Wyeth looks to settle diet drug lawsuits
May 26, 2005Wyeth Co. on Friday said a Philadelphia judge allowed it to postpone the liability phase of two lawsuits over a diet drug it once produced, giving the pharmaceutical firm time to consider a larger settlement of similar cases.
The parties requested the second phase of the trial be postponed until July 25 to permit Wyeth and plaintiffs' attorneys to pursue discussions of a possible resolution of other diet drug cases. These discussions are taking place as part of the settlement process underway with lawyers representing thousands of plaintiffs nationwide.
Earlier this week, the Philadelphia Court of Commons Pleas jury hearing the first phase of the trial returned a verdict finding that each of the two plaintiffs had been damaged in the amount of $100 million. Wyeth moved for a mistrial following the damages verdict, and that motion will also be adjourned until July 25.
The plaintiffs alleged heart valve injury from the use of Pondimin, a drug once marketed by Wyeth, formerly known as American Home Products. Pondimin, the fenfluramine half of the diet combination fen-phen, was pulled from the market in September 1997.
"We strongly disagree with the jury's conclusions. The damage awards are excessive and completely unsupported by the evidence and are inconsistent with other recent cases in Philadelphia with similar facts and circumstances," said Lawrence V. Stein, senior vice president and general counsel. "We are confident that this verdict will not stand."
The jury returned the damages verdict on May 24 and the verdict was then sealed by the court.
