Elan said today that over 31,800 patients worldwide were receiving its multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Tysabri at the end of June. The figure exceeded the expectations of several analysts.
The company had said in May that it expected to make a profit in 2010 thanks to growing sales of the drug, with 100,000 patients on Tysabri therapy targeted by the end of 2010.
Elan and US partner Biogen Idec, which co-developed the drug, said they had more than 17,800 patients on Tysabri commercially in the US, 13,400 outside the US and 600 in clinical trials.
Tysabri returned to the market with tougher MS prescription guidelines in 2006 after sales were suspended in 2005 over links to a rare and potentially fatal brain disease.
In May, Elan said 26,000 patients were using Tysabri, which was also launched in the US in March as a treatment for Crohn's bowel disorder.
