Invokana Lawsuit Filed in Canada, as U.S. Medical Group Prepares to Review SGLT2 Inhibitors

Published on October 12, 2015 by Sandy Liebhard

Litigation involving the Type 2 diabetes medication Invokana is heating up in Canada, where a proposed class action lawsuit was filed against the drug’s maker last month. Meanwhile, it and other SGLT2 inhibitors are coming under more scrutiny in the U.S., as a major medical group prepares to investigate their potential association with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Invokana was the first SGLT2 inhibitor approved in the U.S. to treat Type 2 diabetes. Others now on the market include Invokamet, Farxiga, and Jardiance. In May, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was reviewing the safety of all SGLT2 inhibitors after the drugs were implicated in at least 20 reports of diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that can lead to diabetic coma and death. Health Canada, the entity which regulates drugs in that country, announced its own review the following month.

The Canadian Invokana lawsuit was filed in September by a Scarborough, Ontario, who woman allegedly developed kidney failure due to its side effects. The lawsuit claims more than $1 billion in damages on behalf of Canadian patients who were allegedly harmed by the drug, according to a report from CBC News.

“Part of what we are presenting in court is that the company ought to pull Invokana, that the knowledge that they have from being in the real market of the dangers if Invokana, that they ought not to continue to market Invokana,” her attorney told the network.

AACE to Review SGLT2 Inhibitors

While no Invokana legal claims have been reported in the U.S., the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) is scheduled to convene a conference later this month in Texas to review data pertaining to SGLT2 inhibitors and diabetic ketoacidosis. According to a release announcing the event, “top scientists, diabetes experts and relevant stakeholders in the diabetes care arena” will gather on October 24^th and 25^th “to examine available data and provide recommendations for prescribers and patients.”

The AACE represents more than 6,000 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad, and is the largest association of clinical endocrinologists in the world.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a dangerous condition that occurs when toxic acids called ketones build up in the blood. The condition generally occurs among Type 1 diabetes patients, but many of the SGLT2 inhibitor patients who experienced this complication were Type 2 diabetics. According to the FDA, all of the incidents reported to its adverse events database resulted in emergency medical treatment and/or hospitalization. Patients using Invokana or another SGLT2 inhibitor should seek medical treatment immediately if they experience difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, and unusual fatigue or sleepiness.

Invokana Lawsuit Evaluations

Invokana lawsuits and diabetic ketoacidosis claims involving other SGLT2 inhibitors are now being investigated by attorneys throughout the U.S. If you would like to arrange for your own review, please call .