Ex-CEO in fraud trial over drug announcement
How often do accusations of over-touting a drug land a pharma CEO in criminal court? Not often. No wonder, then, that so many eyes are turned to a San Francisco court this week where the ex-chief of InterMune faces federal prosecution. W. Scott Harkonen is under fire for a press release InterMune issued about the efficacy of its leading drug Actimmune, at a time when the company was trying to get FDA approval for a new indication. Prosecutors say that the release overstated Actimmune’s effectiveness at treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the new use InterMune wanted from the
