Horror trial drug was not contaminated - watchdog

There is “no evidence” to suggest any problems with the manufacturing of a drug given to six men who became seriously ill in a drugs trial, the British government agency responsible for the safety of medicines said today.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it appeared that the drug TGN1412 was not contaminated or “contained anything other than the correct ingredients”.

It said it had not found anything in the way the trial was run that may have contributed to the reactions experienced by the volunteers.

The MHRA said it could not be firm about its findings yet, but it seemed that TGN1412“showed a pharmacological effect in man which was not seen i pre-clinical tests in animals at much higher doses”.