Bayer's Monsanto unit is set to appear before a Missouri state court on Monday seeking final approval of a $7.25 billion class-action settlement designed to resolve tens of thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging that the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.

The hearing before Judge Timothy Boyer in St. Louis Circuit Court represents a critical step in the German company's long-running effort to address litigation stemming from its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto. The proposed settlement, announced in February, targets claims from plaintiffs who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after exposure to Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate.

Bayer faces approximately 65,000 pending claims in state and federal courts. Under the terms of the deal, eligible claimants could receive payouts ranging from $10,000 to $165,000, with amounts determined by factors such as disease severity, age at diagnosis, and exposure setting. The settlement does not require Bayer to admit liability.

Bayer maintains that decades of scientific studies have demonstrated glyphosate is safe and does not cause cancer. The company has previously set aside billions to address the litigation and secured a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that limited certain failure-to-warn claims in state courts.

Some plaintiffs' attorneys have objected to the settlement framework, arguing it disadvantages their clients. Judge Boyer is expected to review these objections during the hearing but is not anticipated to issue an immediate ruling.

The outcome could determine whether Bayer can move forward with resolving the bulk of its Roundup-related legal exposure through the proposed nationwide class action. The deal includes provisions allowing Bayer to withdraw if too many claimants opt out.