Raptiva Lawsuits

Side effects of Raptiva may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening injuries, such as infection, malignancy, lymphoma and death. The psoriasis drug was recalled in April 2009 because the risks associated with Raptiva outweighed the benefits.

RAPTIVA LAWSUIT STATUS: A number of Raptiva lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers as a result of their failure to research the effects of the medication or warn about the risk.

Potential claims are being reviewed by Raptiva lawyers on behalf of individuals who have been diagnosed with:

• Serious Infections (such as meningitis, encephalitis, bacterial sepsis, erythroderma, fungal disease and others)
• Lymphoma and Other Cancers (such as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Colon Cancer and other Malignancy)
• Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy or PML (a serious brain infection)
• Neurological Complications

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MANUFACTURERS: Genentech, Inc. and Xoma LLC

OVERVIEW: Raptiva (efalizumab) was a subcutaneous injection that was administered once a week to treat psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the skin.

The medication is a member of a new class of drugs called biotics, which utilize recombinant DNA technology. The FDA approved Raptiva in October 2003, but due to post-marketing reports of Raptiva infections and lymphomas, the FDA had Genentech add a “black box” warning to the drug in 2008 due to the risk of serious infection. A Raptiva recall was issued in April 2009 after a number of confirmed reports involving a rare brain infection, known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Raptiva side effects may suppress the body’s defenses, increasing the risk of serious life-threatening infections, neurological complications and the development of lymphoma, malignancy and possibly death.

ALLEGATIONS IN LAWSUITS OVER RAPTIVA: The manufacturers of Raptiva failed to adequately research the medication or warn about the risk of Raptiva infections, lymphomas and other side effects.

The drug makers knew that users of their medication needed to remain on Raptiva for long periods of time, if not for the rest of their life, because psoriasis is a chronic incurable disease and there were numerous reports of patients having “rebound effect” when they stopped using the drug. However, inadequate warnings were provided about the risks and dangers, and no significant studies on long-term use were performed.

The manufacturers also knew or should have known that the long-term immunosuppression from side effects of Raptiva increases the likelihood of serious life-threatening infections, neurological complications, lymphomas, malignancies and possibly death. However, they failed to disclose the long term risk and failed to recommend that users of the drug be monitored by their physician.

RAPTIVA BRAIN INFECTIONS: Raptiva has been associated with the development of a rare viral disease known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (or PML), which attacks the central nervous system and the brain. The Raptiva infection has no known cure and often results in death.

Symptoms of a PML brain infection from Raptiva could includde confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty talking, difficulty walking, impaired speech and vision problems.