Novartis to Face Mother’s Suit Linking Asthma Drug to Autism

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. failed to convince a federal judge to toss a mother’s lawsuit alleging it failed to warn people that its asthma drug used off-label to treat preterm labor in pregnant women could cause abnormal brain development in babies.

The US District Court for the Central District of California on Tuesday rejected Novartis’ argument that the court lacked personal jurisdiction because it sold the right to market the drug to another company in 2001 and that company marketed the drug to the mother in this case.

Plaintiffs Tara and Jayden Tindle alleged that Tara was prescribed terbutaline to inhibit ...