Bayer AG won a unanimous St. Louis jury verdict in its first Roundup cancer trial since a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling narrowed plaintiffs’ legal arguments—a result that could shape about 65,000 pending claims.

The case was brought by Theresa Aretino, Cynthia Fernandez and Betty Larkin, who said regular Roundup use caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Fernandez died before trial. Their lawyers argued the weedkiller was defectively designed and unreasonably dangerous, and that Bayer was negligent.

The verdict, reached Thursday, tested claims distinct from failure-to-warn lawsuits, which the Supreme Court effectively blocked in June.

The Court found federal law requires herbicide makers to use labels approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has not required a cancer warning. Bayer says the ruling also bars design-defect and negligence claims, while plaintiffs’ lawyers argue those claims remain viable.

Bayer maintains that glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, is safe and extensively studied. The US Environmental Protection Agency previously concluded it was likely not carcinogenic and is reviewing its safety; the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it in 2015 as probably carcinogenic to humans.

Bill Dodero, Bayer’s U.S. general counsel and global head of litigation, said the verdict means plaintiffs bringing cases after the ruling will face major challenges in establishing viable claims and proving them in court.

Bayer is also seeking to resolve tens of thousands of other lawsuits through a proposed $7.25 billion settlement under review by a Missouri state court judge in St. Louis; the three women in this trial were not part of the proposal.

The Roundup litigation has cost Bayer billions since its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto, including more than $10 billion spent settling glyphosate-herbicide claims, and has weighed on its share price. Further trial outcomes could affect the pace and cost of resolving claims, while review of the proposed settlement remains a larger potential balance-sheet and cash-flow issue.

Bayer shares traded at 49.96 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 10:41 CET on October 30, 2026; upcoming legal decisions, settlement developments and the company’s defense strategy were identified as near-term factors.