Novartis Pharmaceuticals obtained a directed verdict during a trial in Fresno, California, finding that the drugmaker was not liable for failure to warn of the side effects of its bisphosphonate drug, Zometa. Novartis manufactures and sells Zometa, a drug indicated to strengthen bone in cancer patients whose disease has metastasized to bone.
The U.S. District Judge sent the jury to deliberate without telling them of the directed verdict so that the case may not need to be re-tried if his decision were reversed on appeal. After two days of deliberation, the jury also returned a complete defense verdict in favor of the pharmaceutical company. Our firm served as lead trial counsel on this case. This was one of hundreds of similar cases against Novartis ongoing across the country, and one of five tried by our firm as lead counsel. Hill v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals, United States District Court, E.D. of California, Case No. 06-939
