The jury ruled for Brown even though nine treating physicians, an independent medical examiner and an X-ray technician all testified that the plaintiff had no symptoms of asbest0s-related disease.
While some experts insist Syndrome X is a disease and that a genetic flaw is the cause, others argue Syndrome X is merely a precursor to other ailments, including heart disease and adult-onset diabetes.
If drugmakers can find new drugs that can silence Syndrome X, also known as metabolic syndrome, they could deal a devastating blow to heart disease--and reap huge sales.