Byetta Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuits

Byetta

Patients who have developed pancreatic cancer while taking the diabetes drug Byetta (exenatide) may have legal recourse. Doctors and researchers have reason to believe that drugs that mimic a hormone known as GLP-1 may increase the production of pancreatic duct cells and block the passage of digestive enzymes, which may cause pancreatitis. Pancreatitis, in turn, greatly increases a patient’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Because allegations have surfaced that patients were not properly warned of this risk, those who developed pancreatic cancer as a result of the drug may be eligible for a lawsuit against the manufacturer. 

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while taking Byetta, you may be able to sue to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. To find out more about your legal options, fill out our free case review form today.

FDA Warnings for Byetta

On October 30, 2009, the FDA approved a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for Byetta, following post-marketing reports of acute pancreatitis and altered kidney function. In addition, the FDA required that Amylin Pharmaceuticals conduct six post-marketing studies to “help further define the mechanism, incidence, and risk factors for the development of acute pancreatitis, including hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis, associated with the use of Byetta, as well as to explore a potential signal of a serious risk of thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer.”

Study Finds Byetta Pancreatic Cancer Risk

A research team from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) studied post-market results from 2004-2009 stored in the FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System database. This study, published in Gastroenterology, found a 6.7-fold increase of reported cases of pancreatitis and a 2.9-fold increase of reported pancreatic cancer by patients taking Byetta. These finds have been both confirmed and disputed by animal trials, and there is general agreement among researchers that further studies on human subjects is necessary to concretely establish a link between Byetta and pancreatic cancer.

Byetta Pancreatic Lawsuits

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while or after using Byetta, you may have legal recourse. Patients and their families may be able to file a lawsuit against Amylin Pharmaceuticals to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. To learn about your legal options, simply fill out our free, no obligation consultation form.