Negligence Claims to Proceed Against Tysabri Makers in Utah Federal Court

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah federal judge has allowed claims of negligence, negligent failure to warn and negligent misrepresentation to proceed against the makers of the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, finding the plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that the drug makers failed to warn doctors of the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).

In a Dec. 26 order, Judge David Nuffer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah found the plaintiff adequately pled that Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc. knew prior to 2009 that the risk of developing PML increases significantly the longer Tysabri is …