Drug Updates: ADHD Drug Cylert Discontinued

Company Cites Declining Sales for the Decision

March 25, 2005 –  Cylert, a stimulant drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is being discontinued by its maker, Abbott Laboratories. Abbott began selling the drug in 1975.

Abbott Labs, the maker of Cylert also available generically as pemoline, says it is pulling the drug because sales have steadily declining with revenues less than one million dollars this year.

The nonprofit group Public Citizen petitioned the FDA yesterday to remove Cylert – including all generic versions of the drug – citing an increased risk of serious liver problems and death from liver failure.

The petition says that as of May 1996, Cylert had caused 13 cases of acute liver failure, resulting in death or liver transplantation in 11 cases. The petition also says that from 1975-1996, there were 193 “adverse drug reactions involving the liver in patients younger than 20 years old.