First Bellwether Trial in Xarelto MDL Ends in Defense Verdict

NEW ORLEANS — The first bellwether trial in the Xarelto federal multidistrict litigation has ended with a defense verdict in favor of defendants Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Janssen Research & Development LLC, Janssen Ortho LLC, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer Pharma AG, and Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc., HarrisMartin Publishing is reporting.

In a verdict reached moments ago, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana jury found defendants did not fail to adequately warn plaintiff Joseph Boudreaux’s prescribing doctor and, as such, the failure-to-warn claims are barred by the learned intermediary doctrine.

Boudreaux, 74, of Lockport, La., alleged he developed …