Bayer settles Roundup cancer lawsuits for up to $10.9 billion

By Ludwig Burger

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer AG agreed to settle U.S. lawsuits claiming that its widely-used weedkiller Roundup caused cancer for as much as $10.9 billion after more than a year of talks, resolving litigation that has hit the company's share price.

The German drugs and pesticides maker has come to terms with about 75% of the current Roundup plaintiffs, involving about 125,000 filed and unfiled claims overall, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The settled cases account for about 95% of those currently set for trial, it added.

"The Roundup settlement is the right action at the right time for Bayer to bring a long period of uncertainty to an end," Bayer Chief Executive Werner Baumann said.

The company added it will make a payment of $8.8-$9.6 billion to resolve the current Roundup litigation - including an allowance expected to cover unresolved claims - and $1.25 billion to support a separate class agreement to address potential future litigation.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Edward Taylor and Maria Sheahan)