An Indiana resident has recently filed a Januvia and Janumet pancreatic cancer lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. after he allegedly developed pancreatic cancer from the use of Merck’s incretin mimetic drugs.

The Januvia lawsuitwas filed by plaintiff James Hartsock, who claims that he was prescribed the injectable type-2 diabetes drug Janumet on Dec. 22, 2011, which he continued to use until February 2012, at which time his doctor switched Hartsock to Merck’s other incretin mimetic drug Januvia.

Hartsock allegedly continued to take Januvia until March 2013. During the course of these prescriptions, Hartsock developed some health concerns and was officially diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Aug. 22, 2012.

Based on recent medical reports demonstrating a strong link between the development of pancreatic cancer and an individual’s use of incretin mimetic drugs like Januvia and Janumet, Hartsock has decided to file a Januvia pancreatic cancer lawsuit against drug maker Merck.

In the Januvia lawsuit, Hartsock brings several allegations against Merck, including failure to warn, design defect liability, negligence, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, and punitive damages.

Hartsock is seeking the same type of relief set forth by other similarly situated plaintiffs in the larger Janumet lawsuits that are part of the Januvia multidistrict litigation (MDL).

The Januvia Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit is James Hartsock v. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Case No. 3:14-cv-01859, in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Indiana. The Janumet lawsuit was added to the Januvia MDL In re: Incretin-Based Therapies Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2452, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Diabetes Drug and Increased Pancreatic Cancer Risk

The Januvia MDL consists of a group of pancreatic cancer lawsuits filed against the makers of Januvia, Janumet, Victoza and Byetta drugs. These type-2 diabetes drugs are part of a new group of injectable type-2 diabetes drugs, which are created to mimic the effect of the human body’s incretin hormones.

All individuals require these incretin hormones to lower blood sugar levels after consuming a meal.

Because type-2 diabetes patients do not produce enough incretin on their own, they need to take medication to help lower their blood sugar levels and encourage proper absorption of  glucose in the bloodstream. But even with medically prescribed diabetic tablets, many type-2 diabetes patients cannot fully manage their condition and require injectable incretin mimetic drugs in addition to their oral medication.

Many diabetic patients have found their prescription of injectable incretin mimetic drugs to be extremely helpful for managing their diabetic condition. However, these type-2 diabetes drugs are not without their risks.

Many Janumet, Januvia, Victoza, and Byetta consumers allege in Januvia lawsuits that they developed pancreatic cancer as a result of their use of these incretin mimetic durgs. As a result, these consumers have filed Janumet, Januvia, Byetta, or Victoza pancreatic cancer class action lawsuits.