** Shares of Bristol Myers Squibb BMY.N down 1.14% at $48.62 after U.S. judge rejects bid to dismiss $6.7 bln lawsuit over Celgene deal
** Judge allows UMB Bank to pursue claims on behalf of Celgene shareholders, alleging Bristol Myers breached contract and failed to act in good faith by delaying FDA approvals for three drugs, including cancer treatment Breyanzi
** Lawsuit stems from Bristol Myers’ $80.3 bln purchase of Celgene in 2019; shareholders who held "contingent value rights" $(CVR)$ were promised $9/share in cash if approvals met deadlines
** Breyanzi approval came five weeks late in Feb. 2021; judge says jury should decide if delisting CVRs violated implied agreement
** Bristol Myers did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while a lawyer for UMB declined to comment
** Including sessions' move, BMY shares down 13.1% YTD
(Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru)
((tharuniyaa@thomsonreuters.com))
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