The diabetes drug Januvia (sitagliptin) has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and bullous pemphigoid.
Do I Have a Januvia 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 has been injured by pancreatic cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Januvia Side Effects
- Pancreatitis
- Pancreatic cancer
- Bullous pemphigoid
- And more
Overview
Januvia (sitagliptin) is an oral medication used by people with type-2 diabetes, a chronic metabolic condition in which cells become insulin-resistant, causing chronic problems with blood-sugar control. Januvia helps alleviate the symptoms of type-2 diabetes by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. This lowers high blood sugar.
Januvia is the first approved drug in a class of anti-diabetic medications known as DPP-4 inhibitors, which inhibit an enzyme called dipeptidyl peptidase-4. Januvia was initially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006. In 2010, the FDA decided to expand Januvia’s approval for use in combination with glitazone drugs.
Sales of Januvia have increased significantly in recent years. Sales of Januvia and Janumet were just under $4.9 billion in 2011, a 40% increase from 2010.
Januvia and Cancer
Recently, the journal Gastroenterology published a study in July 2011 that linked Januvia to a significantly increased risk of acute pancreatitis and two types of cancer. They used data gathered from the FDA’s system for reporting adverse events between 2004 and 2009. They compared rates of adverse events with Januvia and four other medications used to treat type-2 diabetes.
In the study, the researchers found the following increased risks:
- Acute pancreatitis was six times more common in Januvia patients
- Januvia patients were 2.7 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer
How could Januvia increase the risk of cancer? As mentioned previously, Januvia is a DPP-4 inhibitor. Research has already discovered that DPP-4 suppresses some cancers by preventing the cancer from spreading into nearby tissues. In people taking Januvia, the body loses cancer protection from DPP-4.
The researchers were also concerned about the long-term safety profile of Januvia. It can take some time before the risk of cancer can be conclusively linked to a medication. Januvia is a relatively new drug, so there is no long-term safety data. No one knows if long-term use of Januvia will increase the risk of cancer, but it is possible, and this preliminary data is a warning sign.
Do I have a Januvia Lawsuit?
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 $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact us for a free case review.