Jury hits Wyeth with $134.5M in damages

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A jury in Reno, Nevada, found that Wyeth should pay $134.5 million to three women who blame their breast cancer on the drugmaker's hormone replacement therapy, according to the court.

The damages, decided on by a Washoe County District Court jury, include $43.5 million for plaintiff Jeraldine Scofield, $47.5 million for Pamela Forrester, and $43.5 million for Arlene Rowatt.

The jury will meet again on Friday to decide on any punitive damages against Wyeth, according to the court.

The Madison, N.J.-based Wyeth (Charts, Fortune 500) faces (as of June 30, 2007) 5,300 cases from 7,900 plaintiffs related to the hormone or estrogen therapy products Prempro or Premarin. Plaintiffs have blamed these products for causing breast cancer, stroke, ovarian cancer and heart disease, according to Wyeth.

Of the previous 20 hormone therapy cases that went to trial, Wyeth said there were three verdicts that favored the company, two plaintiff verdicts that were set aside by the courts, three cases dismissed on summary judgment, and 12 cases that were resolved before trial.