Lawsuits may be an option for individuals who were diagnosed with cancer, heart failure, bullous pemphigoid or rhabdomyolysis after taking the type 2 diabetes drug Nesina (generic: alogliptin).
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one was injured by Nesina side effects, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer and our lawyers can help.
Update: DPP-4 Inhibitors Linked to Severe Muscle-Wasting Condition
December 1, 2017 - Nesina and other type 2 diabetes medicines from the DPP-4 class may increase a user's risk of developing rhabdomyolysis, a condition that results from the death of muscle fibers and release of their contents into the bloodstream, according to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) [1]. The agency is evaluating whether regulatory action is needed, and will issue recommendations once its evaluation is complete.
What is Nesina?
Manufactured and manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Nesina is a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitor type 2 diabetes drug. Nesina is designed to slow the inactivation of incretin hormones GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide), both of which play a role in regulating blood glucose levels. The drug is intended to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type II diabetes. Nesina was approved by the FDA in January 2013.
Side Effects of Nesina
Despite only being on the market a short time, Nesina belongs to a controversial class of diabetes drugs which have been linked to the following serious side effects:
- pancreatic cancer
- thyroid cancer
- rhabdomyolysis
- pancreatitis
- acute pancreatitis
- hemorrhagic pancreatitis
- necrotizing pancreatitis
- death
Nesina May Cause Pancreatic Cancer
DPP-4 inhibitor diabetes drugs like Nesina have recently been linked to dangerous complications, including pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is an especially lethal form of cancer, and currently ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. Signs and symptoms of Nesina pancreatic cancer may include:
- dark urine
- clay-colored stools
- fatigue
- weakness
- jaundice
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- nausea
- vomiting
- pain or discomfort in the upper part of the belly or abdomen
- back pain
- blood clots
- diarrhea
- indigestion
Thyroid Cancer
In 2011, two case studies published in the journal Gastroenterology linked Januvia (another DPP-4 inhibitor diabetes drug in the same class as Nesina) to thyroid cancer. Though there have yet to be any extensive case studies on Nesina, any signs of risk are problematic, especially when so many people are at risk. Nearly 25 million people have diabetes in the U.S. alone, 90-95% of whom have type 2 diabetes. A growing body within the scientific community has hypothesized that DPP-4 inhibition may impair the body’s immune system, which could increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Signs and symptoms of Nesina thyroid cancer may include:
- lump in the front of the neck
- enlargement of the thyroid
- swelling in the neck
- pain in the front of the neck that may stretch to the ears
- change in voice or hoarseness
- breathing problems (the feeling that you are breathing through a straw)
- cough that does not go away and is not caused by a cold
- cough with blood
- swallowing problems
Skin Complications (Bullous Pemphigoid)
Nesina and other diabetes drugs from the DPP-4 inhibitor class have recently been linked to a rare skin disorder called bullous pemphigoid. Investigators at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, conducted a literature review and an analysis of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System database and concluded there is a link between DPP-IV inhibitors and the development of bullous pemphigoid, a potentially fatal cutaneous autoimmune blistering disorder. The skin disease appeared after an average of 6 months on DPP-IV inhibitor therapy in their series. In most cases the condition remitted in response to discontinuation of the drug, often in conjunction with a course of topical or less frequently, oral corticosteroid therapy.
Related Article: Actoplus Met Lawsuit
FDA Warns DPP-4 Inhibitors Can Cause Severe Joint Pain
The FDA said it had identified 33 cases of severe joint pain in patients treated with DPP-4 inhibitor diabetes medications, according to a Drug Safety Communication [2] issued August 28. The agency added a new Warning and Precaution about this risk to the labels of all medicines in this class.
Study Highlights Risks of Combining Nesina with Other Diabetes Drugs
June 23, 2016 - A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) [3] has found that combining DPP-4 inhibitors like Nesina with “sulphonylureas” may increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), a potentially life-threatening condition.
FDA Adds Heart Failure Warning to Nesina Labeling
April 5, 2016 - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning [4] today concerning a heart failure risk associated with saxagliptin and alogliptin-containing type 2 diabetes medications. The warning comes in response to an evaluation of 2 large clinical trials of patients with heart disease which showed that more patients who received drugs with either saxagliptin or alogliptin were hospitalized for heart failure compared to those who received placebo.
Do I Have a Nesina Lawsuit?
The Pharmaceutical Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Nesina lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Nesina pancreatic cancer and Nesina thyroid cancer cases in all 50 states.
Free Confidential Case Evaluation: Again, if you got cancer or heart failure from Nesina, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and we can help.
