Feb 25 (Reuters) - Boehringer Ingelheim has prevailed in

the trial of two lawsuits claiming that its discontinued

heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer, both of which had

previously ended with hung juries.

A state court jury in Chicago on Monday found in favor of

the privately held German drugmaker following a joint trial of

individual cases brought by Chicago residents Martin Gross and

Ronald Kimbrow, who had both alleged that they developed

prostate cancer as a result of taking the drug.

"While Boehringer sympathizes with both plaintiffs, the

outcome of this case is entirely consistent with the totality of

the scientific evidence, which shows that Zantac does not cause

any type of cancer," the company said in a statement.

Lawyers for Gross and Kimbrow did not immediately respond to

requests for comment.

Their lawsuits are among thousands that have been filed

nationwide alleging that Zantac and its generic versions can

cause cancer, most of which have now settled.

First approved by U.S. regulators in 1983, Zantac became the

world's best-selling medicine in 1988 and one of the first to

top $1 billion in annual sales. The drug was sold at different

times by pharmaceutical companies GSK, Pfizer ( PFE ),

Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim.

Lawsuits against the companies in the U.S. began piling up

in both state and federal courts after the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration in 2020 asked manufacturers to pull Zantac off

the market. The agency cited concerns that the drug's key

ingredient ranitidine could degrade into NDMA, a carcinogen,

over time or when exposed to heat.

GSK, which faced the largest potential liability, in October

agreed to settle about 80,000 Zantac lawsuits it was facing in

state courts, representing about 93% of the cases against it,

for $2.2 billion.

Pfizer ( PFE ) has agreed to settle most of the state court Zantac

cases against it, according to a financial statement last year,

while Sanofi in April announced that it was settling about 4,000

cases.

The companies successfully got about 50,000 Zantac cases

tossed from federal court in 2022, when a judge found that they

were not supported by sound evidence. Some of those cases are

being appealed.

Many of the remaining Zantac cases are in Delaware state

court. The Delaware Supreme Court is hearing an appeal on

whether those cases can continue.

The cases are Gross v. Boehringer Ingelheim, No.

2023-L-000469, and Kimbrow v. Boehringer Ingelheim, No.

2023-L-005405, in Cook County, Illinois Circuit Court.

For the plaintiffs: Eric Olson and Jason Murray of Olson

Grimsley Kawanabe Hinchcliff & Murray

For Boehringer Ingelheim: Cory Hohnbaum of King & Spalding

Read more:

Boehringer Ingelheim faces second hung jury in Chicago

Zantac trial

Third trial over Zantac cancer claims ends with hung jury

GSK agrees to settle about 80,000 Zantac lawsuits for up to

$2.2 bln

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York)