Did GlaxoSmithKline's blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia cause fatal heart attacks? The first federal trial of an Avandia lawsuit began this morning in Philidelphia. As many as 50,000 more lurk in the wings.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc agreed to pay $750 million to settle charges that the drug making giant sold contaminated anti-nausea medication and baby ointment made at a now-closed Cidra plant in Puerto Rico.
GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia diabetes drug got hit with a double whammy from regulators on both sides of the pond Thursday. The European Medicines Agency announced plans to yank the drug from the market in the coming months, while U.S. officials placed greater restrictions on its use.
GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug Avandia has been found to have increased heart attack risk compared to similar medication. But a majority of the Food and Drug Administration's panel of outside experts have voted to keep the drug on the market -- though new restrictions are likely.
GlaxoSmithKline, whose diabetes drug Avandia is undergoing a safety review by the FDA, has agreed to pay about $460 million to resolve about 10,000 lawsuits from users of the drug, which can allegedly cause heart attacks and strokes.
On Tuesday, the FDA will convene a panel of experts to discuss GlaxoSmithKline's type II diabetes drug Avandia. Once a blockbuster, sales of the drug have dropped by more than half since studies suggested it significantly increases risk for serious heart problems.
Problems for GlaxoSmithKline just seem to be getting worse. The European Medicines Agency said Friday it's launching a new review of Avandia's benefit-risk profile following new data on the possibility of cardiovascular complications.
GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drug Avandia once again captured headlines Monday morning after two new studies linked it to heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications. The authors of the studies say the results should prompt the FDA to pull the drug from the market.
The FDA is considering halting a safety study on GlaxoSmithKline's diabetes drug Avandia, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. Previous studies have linked Avandia to an increased risk of heart attacks. The implication is a serious threat to the continued sale of Avandia in the U.S.
