Biogen issues statement on Avonex
Wednesday, 23 March 2005Pharmaceutical company Biogen, which is Elan's partner in the manufacture of the suspended multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, has issued a statement on its MS drug Avonex.
Tysabri sales were suspended last month after two patients using the drug in a clinical trial had been confirmed with the rare and often fatal infection known as progressive multi-focal leukoencephalopathy (PML). One patient died while participating in a long-term clinical trial of Tysabri in combination with Avonex, Biogen's older MS drug.
Biogen said today that the US Food & Drug Administration had analysed its figures and found no cases of PML in patients receiving Avonex on its own.
The company said it and Elan were continuing their extensive evaluation of patients in clinical trials and were staying in close contact with the FDA and other international regulatory authorities.
