Fla. Man Accuses Ariad of Hiding Blood Clot Risks Posed by Leukemia Drug Iclusig

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida man has accused Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. of failing to disclose that its leukemia drug Iclusig (ponatinib) can cause life-threatening blood clots and severe narrowing of blood vessels in older patients.

According to the March 11 complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the drug maker, in an effort to maximize profits, failed to issue warnings that would have dissuaded physicians from prescribing the drug.

Thomas Montalbano has had chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) for about 30 years. When he was 75, his doctor prescribed Iclusig, a prescription drug used …