3rd Cir. Upholds Award of Summary Judgment to Novartis in Aredia/Zometa Action

PHILADELPHIA — A federal court of appeals has upheld an award of summary judgment to Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. in an Aredia/Zometa action, finding the evidence does not show that the drug maker’s allegedly inadequate warnings caused the patient’s osteonecrosis of the jaw.

On Oct. 5, the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals found the patient’s prescribing doctors were aware of the risk between the cancer drugs and ONJ, yet would not change their decision to prescribe the drugs.

Aredia and Zometa are intravenously administered bisphosphonates which inhibit bone resorption in patients suffering from hypercalcemia of malignancy, a potentially life-threatening complication …