A Louisiana woman has filed a lawsuit against Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co., claiming that she developed pancreatic cancer from the use of Byetta diabetes drug. Electia Johnson filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Johnson alleges that Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co., the makers of the diabetes injection failed to adequately warn about the pancreatic cancer risks.
Johnson states that she began receiving the Byetta pen injections in December 2006 for treatment of her type 2 diabetes. Johnson continued to use the medication until May 2010 and that the long-term use resulted in her developing pancreatic cancer.
Byetta Lawsuit Allegations
The Byetta lawsuits allege that Amylin and Eli Lilly knew or should have known about the effect the Byetta medication may have on the pancreas. Studies have demonstrated that Byetta increased the risk of chronic pancreatitis that may ultimately lead to pancreatic cancer.
The complaint alleges failure to warn, designing a defective product, negligence, breach of warranty, and fraudulent concealment. The claim seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Incretic Mimetic Diabetes Drugs Linked to Pancreatic Cancer
Byetta (exenatide) is a skin injection that is used twice a day through a self-contained pen device. The drug is a class of medications known as incretin mimetics, which work by mimicking the incretin hormones that normally release insulin following a meal to help reduce blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.
Byetta was introduced in 2005, and was the first member of Incretic Mimetics to be approved in the United States. In 2006, Merck released Januvia (sitagliptin), in pill, and Janumet, which combines Januvia and metformin. Victoza (liraglutide) was released by Novo Nordisk in 2010 as a once a day injection.
FDA Investigation and Study
The FDA recently launched an investigation into the risk of all incretin mimetic diabetes drugs and pancreatic cancer. The safety review was approved after results of a recent study identified pre-cancerous changes in pancreatic tissue taken from individuals treated with one of the drugs. European health officials have also launched a similar review.
Januvia, Byetta and Victoza Lawsuit Claims
Lawsuits over Januvia, Byetta and Victoza involve similar allegations that the drug makers failed to adequately warn about the risk of pancreatic cancer and the importance of monitoring for changes to the pancreas during treatment.
MDL Consolidation Pending
A motion was filed with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) seeking to consolidate all pancreatic cancer lawsuits.
The U.S. JPML is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the motion at an upcoming session scheduled for July 25 in Portland, Maine. If an MDL is established for all Byetta lawsuits, Victoza lawsuits, Januvia lawsuits and Janumet lawsuits filed throughout the federal court system would be centralized in the Southern District of California, in San Diego.
Originally posted at The Legal Examiner by Shezad Malik MD JD