Friday, June 26, 2026

J&J Moves to Dismiss Talc MDL as Depo-Provera Settlement and Uber Trials Loom

We tracked 235 new filings yesterday, led by talc volume and headlined by a defense bid to unwind the largest active MDL.

Talcum Powder (MDL 2738) dominated with 126 new suits — 121 filed by Duncan Stubbs over ovarian-cancer claims. In mid-June, Johnson & Johnson moved to dismiss the entire MDL before Judge Michael Shipp, arguing plaintiffs cannot prove general causation after withdrawing their two lead experts. It is a motion, not a ruling — the court has not decided.

Depo-Provera (MDL 3140) added 20 new filings, led by Vogelzang Law (8), as the tentative global settlement reached this month moves toward memorialization before Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The federal docket now exceeds 6,000 cases; the lead bellwether is vacated and the general-causation Daubert hearing is reset to July 27.

Uber Passenger Sexual Assault (MDL 3084) drew 20 new claims, 13 from Cutter Law PC. The federal docket has grown to roughly 3,500 cases as court-supervised settlement talks continue before Judge Charles Breyer, ahead of back-to-back bellwether trials set for September 14.

Track the full filing intelligence on the LexGenius Live Feed.

Dupixent Study Targets Sézary Syndrome Mechanism as CTCL MDL Takes Shape in New Jersey

A peer-reviewed study published in Cancer Immunology Research in early 2026 revealed that blocking the interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) subunit inhibits the proliferation of malignant T lymphocytes in Sézary syndrome, an advanced leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Using ex vivo models, researchers demonstrated that the IL-4Rα blockade—the mechanism utilized by the blockbuster drug Dupixent—remodels the tumor microenvironment to promote antitumor immunity. These scientific findings carry significant legal weight as manufacturers Sanofi and Regeneron face mounting civil claims alleging that the drug can cause or accelerate the development of the rare cancer. On June 4, 2026, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation granted a consolidation motion and created MDL No. 3180 (In re: Dupixent (Dupilumab) Products Liability Litigation), centralizing dozens of federal lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey before Judge Zahid N. Quraishi. The study's mechanistic insights—showing that the same IL-4Rα blockade mechanism actually inhibits malignant cell proliferation—are expected to become a central battleground for expert witnesses as both sides address general causation during the Daubert phases of the litigation.

Michigan Attorney General Report Discloses Saginaw Diocese Abuse Findings

On June 25, 2026, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a comprehensive investigative report detailing decades of sexual abuse and misconduct allegations within the Diocese of Saginaw. The 258-page report, which is the sixth of seven expected diocesan audits in the state, identified allegations against 38 individuals, including 37 priests and one deacon, dating back to 1950. While the investigation did not result in new criminal charges—largely because the vast majority of the alleged incidents occurred before 2002 and prosecutions are barred by the expiration of the statute of limitations, as well as the deaths of most of the accused clergymen—Nessel emphasized that the release was intended to provide transparency and validation for survivors. In response to the findings, the Diocese of Saginaw issued a statement expressing its past cooperation and a commitment to ongoing accountability and transparency. Plaintiffs' attorneys in separate civil abuse cases expect the report's extensive findings, compiled from seized diocesan records, tip lines, and victim interviews, to provide critical evidentiary support for pending negligence claims against the religious organization.