Bayer Must Face Some Investor Allegations on Roundup Deal Risks

Bayer AG investors adequately alleged the company misled them about the due diligence it conducted ahead of its acquisition of Roundup herbicide maker Monsanto Co., a federal judge in California said.

Investors also accused the pharmaceutical and life sciences firm of making misleading statements about the safety of glyphosate—Roundup’s active ingredient—and how Bayer accounted for post-purchase legal risks, but those allegations aren’t sufficient to move forward, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California said.

Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto closed in 2018. “Before, during, and after the acquisition, Monsanto was, and remains today, embroiled in litigation alleging ...