Novartis Denied Summary Judgment on Failure-To-Warn Claims in Aredia Case; Causation Testimony of Treating Doctors Excluded

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota federal judge has denied Novartis’ efforts to throw out failure-to-warn claims in an Aredia case, finding the plaintiffs have created a genuine issue of fact as to whether the drug maker adequately warned doctors of the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw posed by the cancer drug.

However, in the May 12 order, Judge Donovan W. Frank of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota awarded the drug maker summary judgment on plaintiffs’ claims of implied warranty and design defect. The judge also addressed Novartis’ motion to exclude the causation testimony of plaintiff expert …