High Court Rules for AstraZeneca PLC Over Deaths from Iressa

The Osaka High Court has reversed a lower court ruling that found the Japanese arm of London-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC responsible for deaths caused by side effects of its lung cancer drug Iressa. The court also denied Friday the government's responsibility in approving the drug in July 2002, upholding the decision of the lower court. In July 2004, a patient and the families of three patients who died after taking the drug sued the government and AstraZeneca K.K., based in Osaka, seeking 100 million yen in damages. In February last year, the company was ordered by the Osaka District Court to pay about 60 million yen to the plaintiffs.