As we have previously reported, litigation regarding incretin mimetics, such as Byetta, Januvia/Janumet and Victoza, continues to grow across the country. Byetta (Exenatide), manufactured by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, in association with Eli Lilly and Co., entered the market in 2005 for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.  Byetta, now sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca, is a type of incretin mimetic that is administered as a subcutaneous injection of the abdomen, thigh or arm within 60 minutes of a person’s first and last meal of the day (i.e. two injections a day).

Dr. Peter Butler, the former head of endocrinology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and former editor of the American Diabetes Association journal has advised that Byetta may be unsafely tied to pancreatic cancer. The resource center, DrugRisk, recently added a 2011, study from the UCLA that indicated use of Byetta could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 290% and thyroid cancer by 473%.  As the New York Times reports, Dr. Butler, believes that the seriousness of these risks was not received by the FDA at the time of testing. Dr. Butler worries that the use of very young animals, not as prone to pancreatic cancer, could have skewed the results and subsequent knowledge of the danger.

If you feel you have experienced any side-effects from taking Byetta, Januvia/Janumet or Victoza, you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort/Pharmaceutical Litigation attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against the Byetta, Januvia/Janumet or Victoza manufacturers.