AstraZeneca Settles Heartburn Drug Lawsuits for $425 Million – What You Need to Know

AstraZeneca to Pay $425 Million in Settlement for Nexium and Prilosec Lawsuits

AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $425 million to resolve lawsuits filed by consumers who experienced kidney injuries while using its heartburn medications Nexium and Prilosec. The details of the settlement have not been disclosed, but it effectively resolves the product liability claims that are currently pending. Only one case remains open in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

AstraZeneca maintains that the claims made against them “are without merit” and has made no admission of wrongdoing in the settlement agreement.

In a statement, AstraZeneca said, “These settlements allow the company to avoid ongoing expensive litigation and focus on its mission of delivering life-changing medicines to patients worldwide.”

The settlement will address approximately 11,000 claims against AstraZeneca, according to the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Seeger Weiss LLP and Douglas & London P.C. The lawsuits alleged that these medications can cause kidney injuries, potentially leading to chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Plaintiffs also claimed that the companies failed to sufficiently study and disclose the risks associated with proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications.

However, the plaintiffs have not reached a settlement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of PPI drugs Prevacid and Dexilant, and will proceed with their claims against the company.

In addition to this settlement, AstraZeneca has previously reached settlements totaling $108.5 million with GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble, and Pfizer, the attorneys stated.