Johnson & Johnson is to appeal after a St Louis State Court found in favour of the latest talc plaintiff and ordered the baby care manufacturer to pay US$100 million in damages, according to a report published by the BBC.

The sum is the largest to be awarded by a US court thus far; J&J is currently defending approximately 2,400 similar suits across the US.

“We are preparing for additional trials this year and we continue to defend the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder,” said Johnson & Johnson in a statement. “We deeply sympathise with the women and families impacted by Ovarian cancer.”