J&J Loses $1 Billion Court Ruling on Surgical Robot Deal (3)

Johnson & Johnson was hit with more than $1 billion in damages Wednesday for breaching its pledge to prioritize two surgical robots it acquired when it bought Auris Health Inc. for $3.4 billion.

A Delaware judge ruled against the pharmaceutical giant eight months after a trial of claims that it engaged in wide-ranging breaches of its agreement with former Auris shareholders by failing to pursue regulatory approvals for two projects with blockbuster potential, the iPlatform and the Monarch.

More than $2 billion in additional payments hinged on the approvals. The allegations echoed a recurring theme in Delaware’s Chancery Court, the ...