New Orleans, LA - Merck & Co. identified 109 Vioxx-related class action lawsuits around the United States, according to a submission by the company in the federal multidistrict litigation In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1657, E.D. La.).

64 cases are currently pending in the MDL before U.S. Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the Eastern District of Louisiana. 26 more are in the MDL "pipeline", meaning they are pending before other federal courts and subject to tag-along notices or conditional transfer orders into the MDL. In addition to the federal MDL cases, 19 class actions are pending in state courts, Merck said.