A Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) (NVS.N) medicine reduced pain from gout but also appeared to raise the chances of serious infections and other risks, U.S. drug reviewers said in documents released on Friday. Food and Drug Administration staff said determining whether the benefits of Ilaris outweighed risks was "complicated" in part because the product has extended effects in the body that are not typical of an acute treatment. An advisory panel meets Tuesday to decide whether to recommend approval of Ilaris, an injectable drug that is now sold for treating a rare inflammatory disorder. Novartis has predicted the medicine could generate blockbuster sales if it won clearance for gout and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
