GSK launches appeal to recent Zantac ruling

GSK has started the process of appealing a recent decision by the Delaware Superior Court regarding the ongoing Zantac, or ranitidine, litigation, it announced on Tuesday.

The court’s ruling, which allows plaintiff expert testimony, had been deemed inconsistent by GSK with how the Daubert standard had traditionally been applied in both Delaware and federal courts.

GSK, alongside Pfizer, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim, had now filed an application seeking the right to appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court for an interlocutory review.

The review would assess the Superior Court's decision before the case proceeds further. Interlocutory reviews are typically granted under exceptional circumstances, and GSK argues that the current situation meets this criterion, warranting immediate consideration by the higher court.

Should the Delaware Superior Court approve the application, the interlocutory review would move to the Delaware Supreme Court.

If the application is rejected, GSK and the other defendants plan to seek direct leave to appeal to the state's highest court.

A decision on whether the Supreme Court will grant the review and hear the appeal is anticipated later this year.

In its statement, GSK emphasised the scientific consensus that there is no consistent or reliable evidence linking ranitidine to an increased risk of cancer, referencing 16 epidemiological studies involving over one million patients, which support this conclusion.

At 0830 BST, shares in GSK were up 1.06% at 1,638.11p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.