Roche Settles Claims Over Genentech's Raptiva Psoriasis Drug, Lawyer Says

Roche Holdings AG (ROG) settled lawsuits claiming its Raptiva psoriasis drug caused infections, according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs. The lawyer, Mark Lanier, wouldn’t disclose the terms of the settlement today. Genentech withdrew the medication from the market almost three years ago. Genentech, a unit of Basel, Switzerland-based drugmaker Roche, was sued in state court in California over allegations that Raptiva caused Stephen Johnson’s death. The 46-year-old Louisiana businessman took the drug to treat a skin condition. That trial had been set to begin this month and was postponed last week to June, according to the case docket.