U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stuart M. Bernstein of New York City denied bankruptcy exit to Pfizer Inc.’s Quigley unit, a former asbestos maker, because the company manipulated the bankruptcy process to benefit itself.

This was Quigley’s fourth attempt at passing a reorganization plan, which prompted the judge to propose discussion on the dismissal of the case. Judge Bernstein also cited testimony that the asbestos claims aimed at the world’s largest drug company could total $4.45 billion over the next 42 years.

Exposure to asbestos can cause several fatal diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lining of the chest and abdominal cavities and the organs contained within them. Because asbestos related diseases can take decades to develop, they are often difficult to diagnose.

Mesothelioma treatment composed of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and any combination of the three, is rarely life-saving. At best, treatment generally only buys a patient time, and life expectancy is rarely longer than 18 months.

Quigley, founded in 1916, manufactured three products containing asbestos from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1968, the company was purchased by Pfizer. Since bankruptcy was filed, Pfizer has tried to rid itself of liability for an estimated $900 million worth of asbestos damages through a Chapter 11 plan. Said plan contends that the company will be bankrupt after five years of paying off claims for asbestos-related injuries.

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