August 28, 2013 — Federal judges have ordered (PDF) the centralization of more than 50 diabetes drug lawsuits involving pancreatic cancer. The Multi-District Litigation (MDL) will be located in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, where the first case was filed and most of the actions are already pending. All responding parties support centralization.
The Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) designated the litigation MDL No. 2452: In re Incretin-Based Therapies Products Liability Litigation. All drugs in the “incretin mimetic” class regulate insulin levels by influencing the hormone GLP-1 or inhibiting the enzyme DPP-4. There is controversy about whether this mechanism could lead to pancreatic cancer.
The establishment of an MDL is intended to prevent inconsistent pre-trial rulings in lower courts, eliminate duplicative discovery, and conserve resources. The litigation will involve the following diabetes drugs and manufacturers:
- Januvia (sitagliptin) – Merck & Co.
- Janumet (sitagliptin and metformin) – Merck & Co.
- Byetta (exenatide) – Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly & Co.
- Victoza (liraglutide) – Novo Nordisk
It is very unusual for an MDL to contain four different drugs made by four pharmaceutical companies. According to the judges:
“We are typically hesitant to centralize litigation against multiple, competing defendants which marketed, manufactured and sold similar products. … Plaintiffs in the cases now before us, however, make highly similar allegations about each of the four drugs that manage blood insulin levels and the propensity of those drugs to cause pancreatic cancer.”
Do I have a Diabetes Drug Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting diabetes drug induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by pancreatic cancer after taking Byetta, Januvia, Janumet, or Victoza, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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