Malaysia’s IHH Healthcare, one of the world’s largest private healthcare groups, said on Thursday that its subsidiary Northern TK Venture (NTK) will appeal a recent Tokyo court ruling that dismissed its damages claim against Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo.

Appeal follows court dismissal

On September 10, the Tokyo court rejected NTK’s petition, which had been filed in May 2025 seeking to revise damages to as much as 109.3 billion Indian rupees (about $1.14 billion). The court also ordered NTK to bear the litigation costs. IHH’s statement said NTK believes the decision warrants appellate review and has therefore exercised its right of appeal.

Background of the dispute

The dispute stems from NTK’s acquisition of a 31% interest in Fortis Healthcare, an Indian hospital operator, through IHH. After the purchase, IHH halted an open offer to acquire an additional 26% stake when Daiichi Sankyo filed a contempt plea against the founders of Fortis. Both Fortis and Daiichi Sankyo did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

IHH’s future plans for Fortis

In the same statement, IHH said it intends to increase its ownership of Fortis to 51% over the next three to five years. The group also plans to further integrate Fortis with its Gleneagles platform, aiming to create a more unified regional healthcare network.

Implications for the healthcare sector

The appeal highlights the complex cross‑border legal environment that multinational healthcare operators face when navigating investments in emerging markets. A successful appeal could restore a significant damages award for IHH, potentially influencing future investment strategies in the region.

Currency conversion

For reference, the article notes that $1 equals 95.9550 Indian rupees.

Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; editing by Vijay Kishore.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.