JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
A French court ruled that Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) (OTCPK:SNYNF) failed to inform the known side effects of its epilepsy drug Depakine, ordering the pharma giant to pay over €400,000 ($416,440) in damages to a family whose child developed a form of autism as a result.
The court in Nanterre said in its ruling on Thursday that the company must have known that the drug, if taken during pregnancy, could lead to malformations and “neuro-behavioral disorders” in children and should have stated the risk in an attached leaflet.
Sanofi (SNY) intends to appeal the decision and says that the drug’s overall risk-benefit profile is positive, Reuters reported Saturday, citing a statement from the company.
The connection between Depakine and side effects, including birth defects, was documented in a class action ruling delivered in January that can result in potentially hundreds of millions of euros in damages, a decision Sanofi (SNY) said it would appeal.
French health authorities have estimated that Depakine is linked to deformities in 2,150 – 4,100 children and neurodevelopmental defects in up to 30,400 children.
Read: Sanofi (SNY) revised its 2022 outlook after reporting better than expected financials for 1Q 2022 in April.
Read More: Sanofi ordered to pay damages over epilepsy drug side effects (NASDAQ:SNY)
