WASHINGTON DC (August 12, 2019) — Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Novartis International AG CEO Vasant Narasimhan requesting documents relating to AveXis, a subsidiary of Novartis, manipulating data about a treatment for infants suffering from spinal muscular atrophy. The treatment, Zolgensma, is the most expensive drug in the world.
“…AveXis became aware of the data manipulation before the FDA approved Zolgensma but intentionally withheld that information from the FDA until after the product was approved,” Sen Grassley wrote. “Such conduct is reprehensible and could have an adverse effect on patients. Accordingly, the conduct ought to be investigated and, as appropriate, punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Text of the letter is available HERE