GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced its win in the latest trial concerning allegations that its heartburn medication Zantac was linked to cancer.
The jury in the Carrie Joiner case in an Illinois state court ruled in favour of GSK, rejecting claims that the drug caused colorectal cancer.
Joiner had filed a lawsuit in a state court in Chicago, alleging that her cancer was due to exposure to a carcinogenic contaminant known as NDMA which is found in Zantac, Reuters reported.
Zantac, which contains the active ingredient ranitidine, was first approved in the US in 1983.
By 1988, it had become the best-selling medicine in the world and one of the first to exceed $1bn in annual sales.
In a media statement, GSK said: “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.
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“GSK will continue to vigorously defend itself against all other claims. Prior to this verdict, the court rejected the plaintiff’s ability to request punitive damages.”
The drug has been marketed by Pfizer, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim, alongside GSK.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against these companies in the US, with the majority being handled in Delaware state court.
In June 2024, a judge allowed 70,000 cases to proceed, dismissing the defendants’ attempts to exclude key plaintiffs’ expert witnesses on the basis that their scientific methods were unreliable.
The companies are currently appealing this decision.
The litigations began after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the removal of Zantac from the market in 2020 due to concerns that ranitidine could transform into NDMA over time or when exposed to heat.
Several cases have been settled before reaching trial. The only previous case that went to trial concluded in May 2024 with a verdict favouring GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim.
