Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals settled a lawsuit over its antipsychotic drug Risperdal recently, just days before it was set to go trial in Philadelphia.

The Risperdal settlement brings a close to allegations the drug caused a male plaintiff to grow unusually large breasts, a condition known as gynecomastia, court documents say.

The parties did not disclose the amount of the Risperdal settlement, which came four days before the trial was set to begin on Halloween Day.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff N.F. had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, impulse control disorder and oppositional defiance disorder.

At the age of seven he was prescribed Risperdal for the first time, and he stayed on the antipsychotic for just over a year. A few years later he was placed on a generic form of the drug and remained on it for nearly four years.

This Risperdal case is not the first in this mass tort to be settled before reaching a jury. Janssen settled at least two other Risperdal lawsuits for undisclosed amounts in May 2015 before they went to trial.

However, N.F.’s case would have been the first to go to trial since a $70 million verdict was handed down in July in favor of a boy who suffered from gynecomastia after taking Risperdal.

That verdict was later increased to $76 million. Janssen has already filed an appeal with the court to overturn the award.

Other verdicts to come out of the Philadelphia Risperdal mass tort include a $2.5 million verdict, a $1.75 million verdict and a $500,000 verdict, all handed down in favor of plaintiffs.

One other jury also found Janssen had negligently failed to warn about the risks of Risperdal, but jurors did not conclude the drug had caused the plaintiff’s gynecomastia.

Janssen Wins A Risperdal Case

Roughly one week before Janssen reached the undisclosed Risperdal settlement, it won a victory in the case C.W. et al. v Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. et al., also filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

The pharmaceutical company filed a motion for summary judgment back in July of this year, and presiding Judge Arnold New granted the motion finally on Oct. 21, finding in favor of Janssen Pharmaceuticals before the trial was set to begin in November.

The company has also filed a motion for summary judgment in another case, Z.S. et al. v Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. et al., which is set to go to trial in January 2017. Judge New has not yet ruled on this motion.

About Risperdal

Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic that works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

Developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Risperdal was approved by the FDA in 1993 for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults.

Risperdal lawsuits have shown a link between Risperdal and growing male breasts, known as Risperdal gynecomastia.

Other Risperdal side effects include tardive dyskinesia, high blood sugar and diabetes, stroke, heart attack and even death.

Filing a Risperdal Lawsuit

There are currently more than 2,000 Risperdal cases tied to the mass tort program. All of these lawsuits allege Janssen failed to adequately warn about the risks of its antipsychotic Risperdal, and plaintiffs contend they suffered from the condition gynecomastia as a result.

Lawsuits against Janssen and its drug Risperdal continue to be filed across the country, including cases filed in the state of California, where a jury handed down a $5.6 million verdict in 2015 in favor of a plaintiff who suffered from fatal heart problems during the Risperdal clinical trials.

If you or someone you love was harmed after taking Risperdal, you may be entitled to financial compensation.

In light of the recent verdicts and Risperdal settlement, it is important you contact an experienced Risperdal attorney as possible for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

The Settled Risperdal Lawsuit is Case No. 13500998 in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.