Onglyza Lawsuit Lawyer
Please note: Our law firm no longer accepts Onglyza cases.
Onglyza, a type 2 diabetes medication made by Bristol-Myers Squib, has been linked to increased heart failure risk. Onglyza has also been linked to an increased risk for pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer. If you or a loved one has been injured by Onglyza, contact an experienced Onglyza Lawyer for a free legal consultation regarding a potential Onglyza Lawsuit against the drug’s maker.
Onglyza belongs to a questionable class of diabetes drugs known as incretin mimetics, which have been linked to pancreatitis and cancer. Other incretin mimetic class medications include Byetta, Januvia, Janumet.
Related: Onglyza Heart Failure Warnings lead to Lawsuits
Onglyza Pancreatic Cancer Risks
In March 2013, FDA published a Drug Safety Communication informing the public the agency was examing new, unpublished research suggesting a possible connection between medications like saxagliptin and pre-cancerous pancreatic growths.
That review followed a 2011 study which found patients taking another DPP-4 inhibitor had 2.7 times as many reported cases of pancreatic cancer than patients taking other diabetes treatments.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. It can be very difficult to diagnose early. Patients commonly have the disease for several months before they realize it. Consequently, the cancer continues to develop undetected in the pancreas until diseased cells reach the lymph system and bloodstream. Usually undiagnosed until its third or fourth stages of metastasis, this cancer may have attacked organs in distant parts of the body. The prognosis by then is grim.
Onglyza Side Effects
In 2011, Public Citizen, a consumer watchdog group, raised red flags over Onglyza’s potentially serious side effects. Public Citizen’s ‘Worst Pills Best Pills’ monthly newsletter urged people to wait seven years for long-term safety data before using Onglyza, which hit the market in 2009. The FDA requested that Bristol-Myers Squibb (which developed Onglyza along with AstraZeneca) conduct postmarketing studies. The FDA voiced concerns regarding Onglyza’s heart risks, liver toxicity, potential skin reactions and more.
Onglyza & Liver Toxicity
Approved for the treatment (not the cure) of type-2 diabetes, Onglyza belongs to a new class of medications known as incretin mimetics. Public Citizen includes the first drug from this class, Januvia, on its infamous ‘Do Not Use’ list. Another incretin mimetic called Galvus was approved in Europe but rejected by U.S. FDA over potential liver toxicity, severe allergic reactions, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), among other concerns.
Public Citizen also noted Onglyza is designed solely to manage blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. Some have then mistakenly inferred the drug can, in turn, reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Onglyza and other incretin mimetics, however, are only intended to treat some diabetes symptoms such as frequent urination, thirst. No type 2 diabetes drug exists on the market which can claim it can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Onglyza Side Effects
Serious Onglyza “side effects” include:
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis
- Necrotizing Pancreatitis
- Kidney Complications
- Renal Failure
Other, less serious Onglyza side effects may include: allergic reactions including hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; unexplained muscle pain or weakness; confusion; memory problems; fever; unusual tiredness; swelling; weight gain; severe pain in the upper stomach spreading to the back; nausea; vomiting; blurred vision; weight loss; severe skin reactions; fever; skin pain.
