A New Jersey state court has ordered Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc America to pay out US$117 million in damages to a plaintiff who claims that exposure to asbestos in talc products caused him to develop cancer, according to a report published by Reuters.

The award is divided into US$80 million in punitive damages and US$37 million in compensatory damages. The punitive damages have been split between the two defendants this: Johnson & Johnson is to pay US$55 million and Imerys US$25 million.

The jury trial was the second US case to focus on the asbestos content of talc marketed by J&J. It was also the first time that a court has upheld allegations that J&J’s talc products contain asbestos. The US pharma giant is also fighting multiple cases that claim that talc can cause ovarian cancer.

Johnson & Johnson has launched an appeal, stating that it would continue to defend the safety of its products and claiming that it had been barred from presenting important evidence in court. Imerys Talc America has also issued a statement revealing its intention to appeal.