IronMag Labs Dismissal Reversed by Ninth Circuit, Allowing Ostarine Case to Proceed - Tauler Smith LLP Los Angeles Trial Attorneys

A federal appeals court ruled a judge improperly dismissed a lawsuit against seller of Ostarine sports supplements

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel handed client Nutrition Distribution LLC a victory today in its ongoing battle to prevent IronMag Labs LLC from its false advertising of its sports supplements containing Ostarine, a substance developed by pharma giant GTx to treat degenerative muscle diseases and cancers, announced Robert Tauler of Tauler Smith LLP in Los Angeles. The lawsuit alleges that IronMag Labs sells Ostarine without a prescription and markets Ostarine as a bodybuilding supplement, even though Ostarine is still in clinical trials. IronMag does not disclose to its customers that Ostarine has well known side effects, according to the lawsuit.

In 2016, U.S. District Judge Manuel Real dismissed the lawsuit under a legal theory called primary jurisdiction, holding that because the FDA had not yet determined if Ostarine was a new drug requiring further study and testing before it could be distributed, the court could not interfere by making its own determination.

The 9th Circuit reversed and remanded, ruling that the lower court had abused its discretion and misapplied the law. “We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit recognized the Plaintiff’s right to move forward with its claims.” explained Tauler.

Nutrition Distribution‘s position was bolstered by an amicus curiae brief filed by GTx Inc., which said that Ostarine is being investigated as a new drug, is the subject of clinical trials, and, as such, cannot be sold in supplements.

“We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit acknowledged GTx’s position that since Ostarine is the subject of publicly disclosed clinical trials, it cannot subsequently be marketed as a dietary supplement. It is important that the creators of drugs like Ostarine are able to protect their inventions and the integrity of the clinical trial process to ensure the safety of products,” Tauler said.