According to a Reuters article, an FDA report said more deaths were reported in patients taking Johnson & Johnson's experimental rheumatoid arthritis drug sirukumab than those taking a placebo. The report was released two days prior to an outside advisory committee meets to discuss whether the drug should be approved.
The most common causes of death were reportedly heart problems, infection and malignancies. Other possible safety issues related to immune system suppression were similar to other products in the class, the story said, but the trend of increased overall mortality "seems unique for the sirukumab program," the report said.
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