Quoted from http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090619-713247.html
Biogen Reports Ninth PML Case In Tysabri MS Patient
By Thomas Gryta
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) reported that a ninth patient on its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, sold with Elan PLC (ELN), has developed a rare brain infection, the third such report since mid-May.
A suspected link to progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, led to Tysabri being pulled from the market for 18 months beginning in 2005. Prior to Friday, the company has reported that eight people had confirmed cases of PML, with one dying, since the relaunch. The most recent case was reported one week ago. ...
The drug was allowed back on the market in 2006 because of its effectiveness in fighting the degenerative disease and the incidence of PML remains well below the long-projected risk of one in 1,000 patients developing the infection.
"PML is still very rare in Tysabri-treated patients," said Biogen spokeswoman Shannon Altimari.
The patient with the latest confirmed PML case took 34 doses of the monthly medication and was located overseas. Only two of the nine cases since last July were located in the U.S.