Lemtrada Lawsuits

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is an infusion medication for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord tissues. In individuals diagnosed with MS, the immune system attacks a fatty material called myelin, which serves as a protective coating around nerve fibers. When this coating deteriorates, the nerves become damaged and the brain cannot properly send signals throughout the body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about the risks of stroke and arterial dissection for those taking Lemtrada for the treatment of MS.

Lemtrada Lawyers are Ready to Help

Contact our Lemtrada Lawyers to review whether you or a family member may be entitled to financial compensation. Levy Konigsberg LLP is currently accepting Lemtrada cases in all 50 states.

If you or a loved one has suffered one or more of these complications, you may be entitled to a cash award and compensation for medical expenses. For a free confidential consultation with Lemtrada Lawyers at our law firm, please call (800) 315-3806 or submit an email inquiry.

What is Lemtrada?

Lemtrada is administered as an intravenous medication to treat relapsing MS for those who have already tried two or more medications with limited success. Lemtrada is a humanized monoclonal antibody that works by targeting immune cells. Originally it was approved for the treatment of lymphocytic leukemia when administered in higher doses. The FDA approved Lemtrada in 2014 based on the results of clinical trials that indicated its potential to reduce relapse rates in a two-year period in MS patients.

What is Happening with Lemtrada?

In November 2018, the FDA issued a safety warning about the risks of strokes and blood vessel tears in patients taking Lemtrada for MS. Since Lemtrada was approved in 2014, 13 cases of stroke and arterial dissection (a tear in the lining of an artery) have been reported in the United States and abroad. The incidents involved both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and arterial dissections of both vertebral arteries and carotid arteries. One patient who experienced a hemorrhagic stroke died. These life-threatening conditions developed within three days of taking the drug (with most cases occurring within one day of administration). The FDA stated that the proximity between administration of the drug and an adverse health event indicates that Lemtrada is linked to the onset of these conditions.

As a result of these findings, Lemtrada carries a “black-box warning”, indicating that an adverse reaction to the medication may result in serious injury or death. In addition, the FDA included a new warning describing the risk of stroke on the drug label. The FDA’s Drug Safety Communication warns patients who are taking Lemtrada to seek treatment in the event that they experience any symptoms of a stroke or tears in the lining of the head and neck arteries (as described below).

Alemtuzumab is also approved under the brand name Campath, which was approved in May 2001 to treat a type of cancer called B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The Campath drug label will also be updated to include these risks.

https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm624247.htm

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2018/12/03/fda-warns-about-rare-but-serious-risk-of-stroke-and-artery-tears-with-lemtrada-relapsing-ms-treatment/

Lemtrada Side Effects and Complications

The most serious complication of Lemtrada is the risk of stroke and arterial dissection. The symptoms of stroke and arterial dissection include the sudden onset of the following:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs;
• Confusion, or difficulty speaking and understanding speech;
• Difficulty seeing in one or both eyes;
• Difficulty walking or decreased balance and coordination; and
• Intense head and neck pain.

Lemtrada Lawyers are Ready to Help

Contact our Lemtrada Lawyers to review whether you or a family member may be entitled to financial compensation. Levy Konigsberg LLP is currently accepting Lemtrada cases in all 50 states.

If you or a loved one has suffered one or more of these complications, you may be entitled to a cash award and compensation for medical expenses. For a free confidential consultation with Lemtrada Lawyers at our law firm, please call (800) 315-3806 or submit an email inquiry.