Pharmaceutical company Elan has given an update on the use of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, which it co-develops with Biogen Idec.
The two companies said that as of late December, over 21,000 patients worldwide were using Tysabri on a commercial and clinical basis.
In the US, about 12,900 patients were on Tysabri therapy commercially and about 2,500 doctors have prescribed the drug. Internationally, about 7,500 patients use the drug. Another 700 patients were using Tysabri in global clinical trials.
Elan added that there have been no cases of the potentially fatal disease PML since the relaunch of the drug in July 2006.
Tysabri generated sales of almost $100m in the three months from July to September.
Elan shares closed down two cent at €15.70 in Dublin, having earlier fallen sharply as the Tysabri figures were slightly behind some analysts' expectations.
