Novartis Says Leukemia Drug Suits Should Proceed Separately

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. says federal product liability suits over its chronic myeloid leukemia drug Tasigna should proceed separately, in part because there only 19 cases—too few to warrant a multidistrict proceeding.

All plaintiffs are represented by the same three firms, and vehicles for informal coordination are already in place and working, Novartis told the U.S. judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Thursday.

Allen Garland and others allege Novartis failed to warn the U.S. medical community that Tasigna, an oral chemotherapy drug, causes narrowing and hardening of arteries delivering blood to the arms, legs, heart, and brain.

Garland says he developed severe ...