A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary says South Carolina’s high court should overturn a decision fining the company hundreds of millions of dollars over deceptive drug marketing.

The state Supreme Court on Thursday is hearing an appeal from attorneys for Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc. The drug maker is expected to argue why a judge’s decision awarding the state $327 million should be invalidated.

In 2011, a South Carolina jury said Janssen broke the law by downplaying the links between diabetes and its schizophrenia drug Risperdal and improperly claiming the drug was safer than competing medications. A judge assessed a $327 million penalty against the company, the largest drug marketing award to date in South Carolina history.

Prosecutors say the ruling should stand so Janssen knows it can’t break state law without penalty.

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Kinnard can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MegKinnardAP