Japan drugmaker urges doctors not to use Tavneos for new patients

TOKYO - Japan's Kissei Pharmaceutical Co. has started urging doctors to refrain from using Tavneos, a drug used to treat rare kidney diseases, for new patients after 20 deaths possibly linked to the treatment were reported in Japan.

The drug, exclusively licensed to Kissei for sale in Japan, has been used since its launch in the country in June 2022 by about 8,500 people for the treatment of microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis, the company said Friday.