After four years of litigation, most of the manufacturers of pelvic mesh devices have begun to settle thousands of cases in an effort to shrink the largest mass tort in the country.

All, that is, except for Johnson & Johnson.

Unlike other defendants, Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Inc. for the most part has resisted efforts to settle litigation over the devices, taking its chances in court. And so far, the record isn't great: Ethicon has lost five of seven bellwether trials in the past two years. At least six more trials are coming up this year against Ethicon — by far more than any other pelvic mesh defendant. The first two are in Philadelphia on Jan. 25 and Feb. 22.