The attorneys at Morgan & Morgan are investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of Victoza users who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Victoza and other diabetes drugs have come under increasing scrutiny regarding their potential link to pancreatic cancer amidst allegations that the drugs’ makers knew about this risk and failed to properly warn both patients and doctors.
If you or a loved one used Victoza and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, our attorneys would like to hear from you today. We may be able to help you file a claim to recover financial compensation and to hold the drug’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, accountable for releasing an unreasonably dangerous drug into the marketplace. Contact us today – for free and with no obligation – by completing our case review form.
Victoza FDA Warning
In March 2013, the FDA issued a drug safety communication announcing that it would be evaluating new research that suggests an increased risk of pancreatitis and pre-cancerous cell changes in patients taking Victoza and other diabetes drugs known as incretin mimetics. While the FDA maintains that it has not reached any new conclusions about the safety of Victoza and similar drugs, our attorneys suspect that due to its flawed formulation, Victoza may be putting patients at risk for pancreatic cancer.
Victoza and Pancreatic Cancer: What’s the Link?
Patients with Type 2 diabetes generally do not have enough naturally-occurring incretins, which are hormones released by the small intestine into the bloodstream to stimulate the release of insulin during and after a meal. The most significant incretin for patients with Types 2 diabetes is known as Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1). Because GLP-1 is quickly metabolized by an enzyme known as Dipeptidyl-Peptidase-4 (DDP-4), it is believed that injecting naturally-occurring GLP-1 is not an effective long-term solution for patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Two classes of pharmaceuticals have been introduced to address this issue, including incretin mimetics. These drugs mimic naturally-occurring GLP-1 hormones, but are resistant to metabolization by DDP-4 enzymes. As a result, the drug lowers blood glucose levels by increasing GLP-1 receptor activity; however, our attorneys believe increased levels of GLP-1 activity can put patients at risk for developing pancreatic cancer.
What is the Status of Victoza Litigation?
All current and future federally-filed lawsuits alleging that use of one or more diabetes drugs—including Victoza—have been consolidated to a single court to save the money, time and resources of all parties involved. While the cases have been consolidated for pretrial proceedings, which may include gathering documents and taking depositions, it is important to remember that each plaintiff retains the right to make decisions regarding his or her case. (Consolidation of lawsuits into multidistrict litigation [MDL] is common for defective drug lawsuits and can help allow for more consistent rulings.) As of February 2014, 306 cases were pending in the diabetes drug MDL and discovery is reportedly underway.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
The mass tort and class action department at Morgan & Morgan is dedicated to holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one has taken Victoza and been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we may be able to help you file a claim against Novo Nordisk alleging that the disease was a result of your use of the diabetes drug.
By taking legal action, you stand to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of earnings and other damages. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience holding top drug and medical device manufacturers accountable for releasing defective products into the marketplace and have been assigned to leadership positions in some of the largest defective drug cases.
For more information on how our attorneys can help, please complete our free case review form today. There is no cost or obligation in having your claim reviewed by Morgan & Morgan.
Learn more about ongoing class actions at our dedicated website. For more information on cases like this, visit our medical malpractice page.