GSK settles Zantac litigation in U.S. for up to $2.2 billion

GSK plc has reached a settlement to resolve the majority of Zantac (ranitidine) product liability litigation in the U.S. The company announced on October 9, 2024, that it has agreed to settle approximately 80,000 cases in U.S. state courts, representing 93% of the total pending state court cases. The total cost of the settlement is capped at $2.2 billion.

The litigation involves claims that Zantac causes cancer. GSK has consistently denied liability. The company previously announced confidential settlements in individual cases, including those of Russell, Hughes, Dixon, Kimbrow, Gross, Boyd, and Steenvoord, and has seen favorable jury verdicts in other cases like Joiner and Valadez.

This comprehensive settlement covers resolved and pending claims related to the manufacture and marketing of Zantac. GSK has previously disagreed with court decisions regarding the admissibility of expert scientific evidence, particularly in Delaware, and pursued appeals. The company views these settlements as a path to resolution.

Zantac's patent has expired, and the drug has been marketed by multiple companies. In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested all ranitidine manufacturers remove their products from the market due to concerns about the potential formation of the carcinogen NDMA. GSK divested its Zantac business in 2018.