Raptiva to be Withdrawn from US Market
April 10th, 2009 by The Doc
From a Medscape Alert:
April 9, 2009 — Efalizumab (Raptiva, Genentech, Inc) is undergoing a voluntary, phased withdrawal in US markets because of a potential risk to patients of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Efalizumab will no longer be available in the United States after June 8, 2009, and healthcare providers are being asked not to initiate treatment in new patients.
“The intent of the phased withdrawal is to provide sufficient time for prescribers to identify their patients on Raptiva, inform them that they need to discontinue treatment, and plan a careful transition to alternative psoriasis therapies as appropriate,” the manufacturers state in a letter to healthcare professionals.
Thank you, and good riddance.