Patient declared brain dead after French drug trial dies

A patient has died after taking part in an experimental drug trial and five other participants remain hospitalised, a French hospital has said.

The Rennes University Hospital said in a statement the patient, who had already been in a state of brain death, died on Sunday.

The statement says the hospital has contacted the 84 other volunteers exposed to the new painkiller, based on a natural brain compound similar to the active ingredient in marijuana.

Ten of those volunteers underwent medical exams on Saturday but the hospital found no anomalies, the statement says.

French health authorities have said three of the hospitalised volunteers face possible brain damage. An investigation is under way into what happened.

PA