Hawaii Court Rules Against Bristol Myers, Sanofi In Blood Clot Drug Case, Increases Liability To $916M

A judge in Hawaii has reportedly ordered Bristol Myers Squibb & Co BMY and Sanofi SA SNY to pay the state over $916 million for failing to warn non-white patients about health risks associated with their blood thinner Plavix. 

This decision marks an increase from an earlier $834 million judgment. 

Judge James Ashford of Hawaii’s First Circuit Court’s ruling follows a non-jury trial held last fall and represents the second trial in this case. The state’s Supreme Court had previously found a legal error in the first trial that resulted in the initial $834 million award.

Hawaii accused the companies of violating state consumer protection laws by marketing Plavix without disclosing that it could be less effective or even ineffective for certain individuals, particularly those of East Asian and Pacific Island ancestry. 

Plavix, generically known as clopidogrel, is used to prevent blood clots that can cause strokes and heart attacks. 

Its activation relies on the body’s enzymes, which can vary due to genetic differences. Studies have revealed that approximately 14% of Chinese patients cannot properly metabolize the drug, compared to 4% of Black and 2% of white patients.

Despite the FDA issuing a warning label for Plavix in 2010 to reflect these findings, Hawaii’s lawsuit highlights that the companies continued their marketing practices without sufficient warnings to non-white patients. 

In response to the ruling, Reuters noted that Bristol Myers and Sanofi released a joint statement expressing their disagreement with the decision and intention to appeal.

The case in Hawaii underscores ongoing legal challenges for the pharmaceutical giants, as they are also facing a similar lawsuit from the state of New Mexico. 

Price Action: BMY shares are up 1.04% at $42.71, and SNY are up 2.10% at $49.98 at last check Wednesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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