Biogen and Abbvie, manufacturers of the multiple sclerosis drug Zinbryta, announced the voluntary withdrawal of the medication from the worldwide market in March 2018 due to reported side effects of Zinbryta. The withdrawal was sparked by concern that risks of Zinbryta might be growing to outweigh its benefits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an update on March 14 with information about the voluntary withdrawal and noted that the manufacturers would be working closely with the federal agency to carry out the withdrawal from the U.S. market, and to transfer patients to another treatment.

If you or someone you love has suffered from complications after using Zinbryta, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation.

Basics of Zinbryta

Zinbryta (also known by its generic name, daclizumab) is a multiple sclerosis medication manufactured by Biogen and Abbvie.

MS is a central nervous system disease that can be disabling and can affect essential functions of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.

In a person with MS, the body’s immune system attacks and damages the protective myelin coating around the central nervous system. This can cause significant damage, disrupting nerve signals to the brain. In order to treat MS, Zinbryta is used to bind immune cells, thus reducing their ability to attack the central nervous system.

Zinbryta was approved by the FDA in May 2016, but it was never meant to be the first choice of MS therapies; it was generally reserved for those for whom two or more different MS therapies had been inadequate.

Side Effects of Zinbryta

Unfortunately, a number of patients have reported suffering from serious complications associated with their use of Zinbryta—just two years after its approval by the FDA. At least 12 cases of Zinbryta encephalitis—an inflammatory brain disorder—have been reported across the world, and three of these cases have proven to be fatal.

Look out for symptoms of encephalitis that resemble those of the flu: muscle pain, fatigue, fever, nausea or vomiting, headache, and more.

Other complications that have been linked with Zinbryta use include liver failure, serious skin reactions like Stevens Johnson Syndrome, and more.

Patients who may be experiencing Zinbryta complications are encouraged not to stop taking their medication before consulting their doctor.

The European Medicines Agency issued a recall of Zinbryta after a dozen reports of major inflammatory brain disorders from across the globe. The FDA is currently conducting its own review of such events.

Filing a Zinbryta Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered from these or other serious side effects of Zinbryta, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these sometimes severe complications, it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.