Byetta (exenatide) is an injectable medication that helps diabetics control their blood-sugar levels. Unfortunately, it has been linked to life-threatening pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, kidney failure, and other severe complications.
Do I Have a Texas Byetta Lawsuit? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer after taking Byetta, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation, and our lawyers in Texas can help.
UPDATE: Byetta Lawsuit Settlements
August 20, 2014 — AstraZeneca and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, LLC have agreed to an undisclosed settlement in 84 lawsuits involving Byetta and Bydureon. Approximately 409 lawsuits have been filed by people injured by pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer. Click here to read more.
June 17, 2013 — The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has asked the manufacturer of Januvia to provide patient-level data on the risk of pancreatic cancer. The ADA intends to hire independent researchers to evaluate the data for a potential link between Januvia and pancreatic cancer. Click here to read more.
March 15, 2013 — FDA publishes Safety Alert regarding potential risk of pancreatic cancer. Click here to read more.
February 26, 2013 — Study published in JAMA Internal Medicine links Byetta and other GLP-1 diabetes drugs to a doubled risk of pancreatitis. Click here to read more.
What is Byetta?
Byetta (exenatide) is a popular injection pen that is used to help people with type-2 diabetes control their blood sugar. It is manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and it has been sold in the United States since 2005.
The active ingredient in Byetta was derived from the poisonous saliva of the Gila monster. This drug compound stimulates the pancreas to secrete more insulin, which helps lower blood-sugar after a diabetic eats a meal. Byetta also decreases appetite, which can reduce the risk of a blood-sugar imbalance.
Pancreatic Inflammation
According to an FDA Safety Communication, Byetta has been linked to dozens of cases of pancreatitis. The active drugs in Byetta specifically target the pancreas and stimulate it to produce more insulin, which lowers blood-sugar levels. This could potentially lead to a life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis).
In 2007, the FDA announced receiving 30 reports of Byetta pancreatitis. That warning was updated in 2008 to warn that the FDA had also received 6 reports of hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis. These life-threatening forms of pancreatitis occur when the pancreas bleeds and tissue begins to die. At least 6 deaths have been linked to Byetta pancreatitis.
Studies of Byetta and Cancer
Byetta was linked to two types of cancer (pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer) in one Byetta study published in the journal Gastroenterology in 2011. In the study, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reviewed the FDA’s adverse event reports from 2004 through 2009. They looked at the reports of pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer associated with Byetta, and compared this figure to cancer rates reported for other diabetes drugs.
The researchers linked Byetta to a 2.9-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer (81 case reports), and a 4.7-fold increased risk of thyroid cancer (30 case reports), when compared to other diabetes medications. Although case reports do not prove that Byetta causes cancer, they are concerning, because a large number of reports may be the first signal of an unanticipated side effect. The researchers recommended that more studies need to be conducted.
In April 2011, two drug companies sent letters to Gastroenterology complaining that the study’s results were not justified. They were concerned that the study might spark an unnecessary health scare among people currently taking Byetta. In response, Gastroenterology agreed to withdraw the study.
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a very serious disease that is often fatal. Pancreatic cancer rarely shows serious symptoms in its early stages, which is why most patients are not diagnosed until the cancer has become very severe. In fact, by the time a patient is diagnosed, only 20% of people can have pancreatic cancer successfully removed via surgery. The five-year survival rate is less than 5%.
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer affects the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower-front region of the neck. This endocrine gland is responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism by producing hormones. Cancer of the thyroid gland is almost always diagnosed early, which is why it is rarely fatal. However, most people who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer will need to have their entire thyroid gland removed, and they will need regular follow-up care to ensure that the cancer does not reappear later.
What is the problem with Byetta?
Byetta has been linked to the following life-threatening side effects and complications:
- Pancreatitis
- Acute pancreatitis
- Necrotizing pancreatitis
- Hemorrhagic pancreatitis
- Acute pancreatitis
- Kidney damage
- Kidney failure
- Cancer
- Death
How Can Lawyer Help?
If you believe that Byetta is responsible for your injury, contact our lawyers immediately. You have a limited amount of time to file a diabetes medication lawsuit or join a class action. Every state has a different deadline to file a drug injury lawsuit (called a “statute of limitations”). Once this deadline passes, you may be disqualified from filing a lawsuit.
Need a Byetta Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $60 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Byetta lawyers for a free lawsuit review.
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