Labeling updates and warnings through November 2008 for efalizumab (Raptiva)

A boxed warning has been added to the labeling information for efalizumab (Raptiva, Genentech), which is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. This warning highlights the risk of life-threatening infections, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), occurring in patients treated with efalizumab. Infections that have been observed in efalizumab-treated patients include bacterial sepsis, viral meningitis, invasive fungal disease, PML, and other opportunistic infections.