Januvia, Byetta, Janumet & Victoza Lawsuits

Dangerous Diabetes Medicines Linked to Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer

If you are taking medicines for the treatment of diabetes, the last thing you need is another health risk to add to your troubles. Unfortunately, the FDA has confirmed the very real danger facing patients who are taking or have taken Januvia, Byetta, Janumet, or Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The health problems linked to these medicines include an increased risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, among other serious issues.

Patients Face Serious Health Risks

Popular diabetes drugs Januvia, Byetta, Janumet, and Victoza are members of a class of drugs called incretin mimetics, developed to treat type 2 diabetes in 2005. They have since come under fire for increasing the risk of developing certain cancers, especially pancreatic cancer. One study, conducted by the Islet Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, found those taking Januvia or Byetta were 6 times more likely to develop pancreatitis, and nearly 3 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. The FDA also released a warning that all incretin mimetics were discovered to increase the risk of developing pancreatitis and pre-cancerous findings in the pancreas.

The manufactures of these drugs have since been charged with numerous lawsuits, currently numbering at nearly 1,000. The allegations include faulty formulation, creating drugs with unreasonably dangerous side effects, and failure to provide adequate safety warnings. Incretin mimetic manufacturers are also facing lawsuits claiming failure to adequately test for side effects and failure to disclose health risks to patients and the medical community.

• Januvia

Manufactured by Merck, Januvia is a prescription pill for daily use to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. In 2009, the FDA released a statement warning doctors and patients about the increased risk of pancreatitis for those taking the medicine. Januvia, generically known as sitagliptin, is believed to be unreasonably dangerous and defectively formulated, according to the numerous lawsuits against Merck.

• Janumet

Also manufactured by Merck, Janumet is a combination of the drug sitagliptin and metformin. Janumet is also a prescription pill intended for daily consumption by adults with type 2 diabetes. This drug is recommended along with proper diet and exercise in order to effectively lower blood sugar levels.

• Byetta

Unlike Janumet and Januvia, Byetta is an injectable medicine prescribed to help control blood sugar levels. Amylin Pharmaceuticals manufactures Byetta, also called exenatide, and recommends that it be used in conjunction with diet and exercise, and even with other diabetic medications. Those filing lawsuits argue Amylin failed to properly test Byetta before beginning sales and did not provide the FDA with enough information about the drug’s risks.

• Victoza

Victoza is a once-daily injectable medicine manufactured by Novo Nordisk. The injectable is formulated to treat adults with type 2 diabetes, lowering blood sugar levels along with proper diet and exercise. Not only is Victoza linked to a higher risk of pancreatitis, but also with the development of medullary thyroid cancer. Currently, the FDA has required Nova Nordisk to conduct a 5-year study analyzing the risk of developing certain cancers.

Do You Have a Case?

If you contracted pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer after using Januvia, Byetta, Janumet, or Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, you may have a case. Our firm is unafraid of taking cases against large corporations and we are confident in our ability to fight for victims’ rights.

Contact Kalfus & Nachman PC to discuss your case with a Virginia personal injury attorney.