Abbott Weighs Pulling Premature-Baby Formula Cited in Suits (1)

Abbott Laboratories is considering pulling infant formula for premature babies off the market, Chief Executive Officer Robert Ford said, amid investor concerns about lawsuits over its safety.

The fortified formula, designed for fragile infants under medical supervision, has drawn fire amid claims the company didn’t properly warn parents about its dangers. At a trial this month in Missouri, Abbott was accused of failing to disclose that the product, Similac Special Care, could increase the risk of potentially deadly intestinal damage.

Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, the maker of best-selling formula Enfamil, lost a similar case in March, with the ...