Bayer has agreed to pay $7.25 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. The settlement represents a major attempt to resolve the litigation that has plagued the German pharmaceutical giant since it acquired Monsanto in 2018. The company faces approximately 52,000 U.S. lawsuits alleging that glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient, is carcinogenic.

The settlement comes after years of legal battles that have cost Bayer billions in damages and severely impacted its stock price. In 2020, the company lost a high-profile case where a California jury awarded $289 million to a groundskeeper who claimed Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Though the award was later reduced, the verdict set a precedent for future cases.

This settlement marks a significant step toward Bayer's goal of putting the Roundup controversy behind it. The company has maintained that glyphosate is safe when used as directed, but mounting legal pressure and public concern forced the settlement. The deal will likely provide some relief to Bayer's investors while offering compensation to affected plaintiffs.