Bayer AG is stepping up the legal defense of its flagship weedkiller, after a recent verdict in a case alleging the chemical causes cancer sent shares down sharply and raised the prospect of costly plaintiff payouts.
The German company on Tuesday said it wants a California state court judge to overturn the jury’s verdict, order a new trial or reduce damages, according to a court filing. The $289 million award granted in August came in one of the first of thousands of cases filed by gardeners, farmers and others claiming Bayer’s...