Novartis Denied Summary Judgment in California Zometa ONJ Case

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A California federal judge has denied Novartis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: NVS) summary judgment on claims that it failed to adequately warn that Zometa could cause bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.

On Nov. 30, Judge Anthony W. Ishii of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ruled that the plaintiff’s expert testimony could lead a reasonable trier of fact to conclude that Zometa caused her ONJ.

Chris Hill sued Novartis in the San Joaquin Superior Court in June 2006, alleging that Aredia/Zometa caused her to develop ONJ. She asserted claims of strict products liability and …