Raptiva may Cause Deadly Brain Disease
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Oct 08 2008 at 6:01 AM
Raptiva >>

A 70-year-old man who was being treated for psoriasis for more than four years using Raptiva has developed a rare brain infection called Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML).

Genentech, the maker of the medication, is sending a letter to healthcare professionals about the case.

According to Genentecch, there are no other cases of confirmed PML in patients treated with the drug. However, there has been a report of a 62-year-old man treated with Raptiva and developed progressive neurologic symptoms. That patient died and the reason remains unknown.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), also known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis, is a rare and typically incurable viral disease that is characterized by progressive damage or inflammation of the white matter of the brain at multiple locations. It usually occurs in people with severe immune deficiency, e.g. transplant patients on immunosuppressive medications, or AIDS patients. The cause of PML is a type of polyomavirus called the JC virus (JCV). Symptoms of PML include vision problems, loss of coordination, and memory loss. Patients who survive the disease are generally disabled for ever.

Comments