Plaintiffs Oppose Valsartan Defendant ZHP’s Motion to Amend Answer Days Before Trial

TRENTON, N.J. — Plaintiffs in the MDL for valsartan-containing drugs (VCDs) have asked a New Jersey federal judge to deny defendant Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (ZHP)’s motion for leave to file a second amended answer just 12 days before trial.

In a March 15 brief, plaintiffs told In a Feb. 16 motion filed before Judge Robert B. Kugler of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that ZHP’s request is untimely because it failed to include its proposed new defense of champerty in its initial answer filed in early December.

“It is now too late to …