The headline of the press release read, “InterMune Announces Phase III Data Demonstrating Survival Benefit of Actimmune in IPF,” with the subheading “Reduces Mortality by 70% in Patients With Mild to Moderate Disease.”
#ACTIMMUNE INTERFERON GAMMA COPAY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TRIAL#
Although the clinical trial had failed, InterMune’s press release falsely stated that the results of the clinical trial established that Actimmune helped IPF patients live longer. The cost of Actimmune for one IPF patient for one year was approximately $50,000 and the vast majority of the sales of Actimmune were for the unapproved, off-label use of treating IPF.Įvidence at trial further showed that Harkonen caused InterMune to issue a false and misleading press release publicly announcing the results of a clinical trial of Actimmune for the treatment of IPF on Aug. Under Harkonen’s direction, InterMune marketed and sold Actimmune to treat the fatal disease IPF despite the fact that Actimmune was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe and effective treatment. In September 2009, after a seven-week trial, a jury convicted Harkonen of wire fraud for the creation and dissemination of false and misleading information about the efficacy of Actimmune (Interferon gamma-1b) as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).Įvidence at trial showed that Harkonen was the CEO of InterMune from February 1998 through Jand a member of InterMune’s board of directors. He was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and to perform 200 hours of community service. Judge Patel sentenced Harkonen to three years’ probation, with six months of home confinement. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel for wire fraud relating to the dissemination of false and misleading statements about the results of a clinical trial of InterMune’s drug Actimmune. Scott Harkonen, M.D., the former chief executive office (CEO) of InterMune Inc., was sentenced Wednesday before U.S.
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