Takeda Pharmaceuticals has reportedly proposed to pay a $2.2 billion to settle over 8,000 Actos lawsuits involving bladder cancer claims linked to its type-2 diabetes drug. This Actos bladder cancer settlement may be one of the largest U.S. payouts involving patient lawsuits.

Takeda’s offer to settle more than 8,000 pending Actos bladder cancer lawsuits would amount to a payment of about $275,000 per case. This is the first settlement offer since the Actos bladder cancer litigation commenced three years ago. Most experts feel it was only a matter of time before Takeda would instigate settlement negotiations, as Takeda has been hit with both compensatory and staggering punitive damage awards in these thousands of bladder cancer lawsuits.

It is important to note that this settlement offer is not finalized. Although negotiations are ongoing and a final agreement has yet to be reached, this proposed Actos bladder cancer settlement would be the first such settlement offer made by Takeda in the three years of this contentious litigation. The Takeda settlement offer would likely result in a per-case payout of about $275,000 and could end up being the one of the biggest drug-related settlements in U.S. history.

Overview of Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuits

There are roughly 3,500 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits pending in federal court before U.S. District Judge Rebecca Doherty in Lafayette, La. Takeda faces another 4,500 Actos lawsuits in state courts in California, Illinois, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. All Actos lawsuits similarly allege that Takeda failed to disclose evidence that Actos side effects could increase patients’ risk of bladder cancer. Actos bladder cancer lawsuits allege that Takeda was aware of bladder cancer risks as far back as 2004, but concealed their findings.

Takeda has faced at least 9 jury trials to date and lost 5 verdicts. However, a Louisiana jury returned a $9 billion verdict against Takeda and Eli Lilly in the first federal Actos case to be tried. This verdict was later reduced to $36.8 million, but it certainly sent a message to Takeda.

Actos Bladder Cancer Risk

On June 15, 2011, the FDA issued an Actos bladder cancer warning with regards to an increased bladder cancer risk associated with the use of this Takeda type-2 diabetes drug. This warning comes after a review of data from a five-year interim analysis of an ongoing study of Actos by Takeda.

Studies have shown that patients who take Actos for more than 12 months have a 40 percent increased risk of developing bladder cancer. One study showed that the risk of bladder cancer continues to increase the longer Actos is taken. Symptoms of bladder cancer include pain while urinating, red-colored urine, urgent needs to urinate, or pain in the back or lower abdomen.

Prior to the FDA warning, several Eurpoean Markets (including France and Germany) suspended the use of Actos, citing concerns over an increased risk of patients developing bladder cancer.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., the manufacturer of Actos (pioglitazone), made more than $16 billion on its blockbuster type-2 diabetes drug, prior to Actos going generic in August 2012. While Takeda’s internal Actos studies allegedly uncovered links to bladder cancer as early as 2004, the company didn’t alert U.S. regulators until seven years later, according to Actos bladder cancer lawsuits.

If you feel that you or your loved one developed bladder cancer as a result of using Actos to treat type-2 diabetes, you should consider filing an Actos lawsuit or joining the ongoing Actos multidistrict litigation (Actos MDL).

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual Actos lawsuit or Actos class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Actos bladder cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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