Federal Judge Upholds $1.17 Million Levaquin Verdict

MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota federal judge has upheld a $1.17 million verdict against Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a Levaquin injury case, ruling that the evidence supported the jury's finding that the drug label did not adequately warn of the risk of tendon disorders. Schedin v. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., No. 08-5743 (D. Minn.).

In denying the drug maker's motion judgment as a matter of law, Judge John R. Tunheim further ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Pliva v. Mensing (131 S. Ct. 2567 [2011]), which states that federal law preempts inadequate warning claims against generic drug manufacturers, does …