Pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers need experienced legal guidance as they navigate risks and high-stakes litigation. Thompson Coburn’s Pharmaceutical team defends these companies in a wide range of class actions and multidistrict litigation (MDL) across the country, including on numerous national trial teams and in some of the most challenging state and federal venues.
Our lawyers defend some of the nation’s largest drug and medical device manufacturers. This includes product liability class actions and MDLs relating to products such as:
- diabetes drugs
- cholesterol-lowering medicines
- laxatives
- vaccine preservatives
- oral contraceptives
- pacemaker leads
- anti-coagulation drugs
- antidepressants
- transvaginal mesh implants
- hip implants
- diet drugs
- factor concentrate
We also represent consumer products companies facing litigation in heavily regulated industries.
We frequently serve in “virtual law firms,” collaborating with colleagues across the country as trial lawyers, expert handlers, or discovery counsel.
Our lawyers have extensive experience in MDL proceedings, serving as lead counsel, liaison counsel, and national settlement counsel.
Our team members are highly sought after as speakers for industry events on issues impacting drug and medical device manufacturers.
We have tried cases in state, federal and appellate courts, in some of the country’s most challenging venues.
MDL and national trial team experience
When it comes to experience on national trial teams defending device manufacturers, our credentials are top-notch. To name just a few noteworthy examples, our attorneys have:
- Served as part of the national trial team for a manufacturer of transvaginal mesh products, used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence.
- Served on the national trial team in pharmaceutical cases alleging a drug used to treat diabetes caused bladder cancer.
- Served on the national trial team for a pharmaceutical company in cases alleging a cholesterol-lowering drug caused rhabdomyolysis.
- Member of the national trial team in litigation alleging plasma-derived medication infected 10,000 hemophiliacs with HIV.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in MDL proceedings including service as lead counsel, liaison counsel and national settlement counsel. In the defense in an MDL proceeding for a manufacturer of an oral contraceptive, members of our team served as liaison counsel and as part of a bellwether trial team.
experience
- Served as part of the national trial team for a manufacturer of transvaginal mesh products, used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence.
- Served on the national trial team in pharmaceutical cases alleging a drug used to treat diabetes caused bladder cancer.
- Served as liaison counsel and bellwether trial team member for a manufacturer defendant in thousands of cases consolidated in an MDL alleging side effects from an oral contraceptive. The litigation settled, as mediation was ordered just before the first trial.
- Served on the national trial team for a pharmaceutical company in cases alleging a cholesterol-lowering drug caused rhabdomyolysis.
- Defended a national pharmacy in cases seeking damages arising out of the use of opioid medications.
- Helped secure a critical defense win for Pfizer in Pesante v. Pfizer, the first of several trials over birth defects allegedly caused by Zoloft. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before siding with Pfizer by a vote of 11-1.
- Defended Pfizer in multiple product liability suits alleging serious personal injury as a result of taking various hormone replacement therapy drugs.
- Represented a pharmaceutical company in product liability litigation relating to the Thimerosal vaccine. This case was tried in Madison County, Ill., a notoriously plaintiff-friendly venue.
- Defended a multinational medical device, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturer in a putative class action regarding drug counterfeiting.
- In CIMA v. KV Pharmaceutical, represented the pharmaceutical manufacturer in this patent infringement case involving the composition of prescription drugs. With approximately $30 million at stake, we defended the preliminary injunction hearing, which involved extensive Markman interpretation, and the court entered a judgment in favor of our client.
- Successfully challenged an EPA penalty levied against Archimica, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical fine chemical company, demonstrating to EPA officials that several of the alleged violations were based on EPA’s apparent misinterpretations of the applicable regulations.
