Drugmaker Mitsubishi Pharma Corp. and subsidiary Benesis Corp. filed an appeal Tuesday against a court order to pay damages to nine out of 13 people who were infected with the hepatitis C virus when they were treated with tainted blood products.
The government has already appealed the June 21 decision by the Osaka District Court.
The 13 plaintiffs are also expected to file an appeal with the Osaka High Court.
Osaka-based Mitsubishi Pharma issued a statement saying it and Benesis are dissatisfied with the decision and will seek a high court ruling.
The Osaka District Court ruled June 21 that the government and the drugmakers were jointly responsible for the infections of five people and ordered them to pay 135 million yen in damages.
The court also held only the drugmakers responsible for the infection of four plaintiffs, ordering the makers to pay 120 million yen to them. But the three-judge district court panel turned down demands for damages from the remaining four plaintiffs.