The latest delay in the criminal case is to acccommodate the federal government, which wants to serve paper on defendants in the US, Reuters reports. The criminal charges include over 20 counts covering alleged breaches of import, supply and registration regulations for the antibiotic and laws relating to a notorious clinical trial that took place in 1996.

The federal government and the northern state of Kano also filed civil cases against Pfizer, claiming $8.5 billion in damages over the trial, which took place during a meningitis epidemic that killed 12,000 children. Nigeria says Trovan caused the death of 11 children and left dozens with disabilities, and that Pfizer did not obtain proper regulatory approval for the trial and misled parents.

The drugmaker denies all charges and argues that meningitis, not Trovan, killed the children or damaged their health. Moreover, Pfizer says Trovan saved lives and was as effective as a more established drug used for comparison in the study. It is not clear which US defendants Nigeria is seeking, but just last week, Pfizer appeared to be on the verge of arranging an out-of-court settlement of the civil and criminal cases (back story).

Next week, meanwhile, a court will begin hearing a separate case brought by Pfizer seeking to overturn the government report that indicted the company over the drug trial.