An Iowa resident has filed an Actos lawsuit against Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Company for allegedly failing to adequately inform consumers and the medical community about the risk of bladder cancer associated with taking the type-2 diabetes drug Actos.

Takeda and Lily jointly launched Actos in 1999 as a treatment option for type-2 diabetes. Actos is one of the top selling drugs for Takeda, accounting for approximately 27 percent of its revenue.

The Actos bladder cancer lawsuit alleges that the pharmaceutical companies willfully concealed that Actos increased the risk of bladder cancer in order to prevent the delay or rejection of the drug’s registration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Plaintiff Charles S. claims in the Actos lawsuit he developed bladder cancer from taking Actos to treat his type-2 diabetes from 2006 to 2011. He alleges the defendants concealed their knowledge that Actos can cause bladder cancer and did not disclose that data linking Actos to bladder cancer was reported in both Actos animal studies and human clinical trials as early as 1999.

However, rather than recall the drug, Takeda Pharmaceuticals allegedly intentionally promoted Actos as a safe and effective treatment for type-2 diabetes.

Actos Bladder Cancer

Many individuals diagnosed with type-2 diabetes have been prescribed Actos in order to control blood sugar levels. More than 2 million prescriptions for Actos were filed in 2010 alone. Actos is the brand name of the drug pioglitazone, manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. According to recent alerts by the FDA, individuals that have been using Actos for longer than 12 months are at a 40 percent increased risk for bladder cancer. The risk is particularly found in men that have been taking Actos.

Actos was meant to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control of those with type-2 diabetes. It is designed to allow the body to make better use of the insulin produced, which is reduced in most patients with diabetes, by making other cells in the body, such as fat and muscle cells, more sensitive to the insulin.

Studies Find Actos Increases The Risk Of Bladder Cancer

Studies have shown that patients taking Actos are at a higher risk of bladder cancer. This is especially true for those patients that have been taking the prescription drug for more than a year. Bladder cancer can be any type of malignant growth in the urinary bladder. The symptoms of bladder cancer include:

• Blood in urine
• Pain during urination
• Frequent urination (polyuria)
• Feeling the need to urinate with no results

In numerous studies, Actos has been linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer in numerous studies, a finding that prompted both France and Germany to suspend prescription of the popular drug.

In the United States, the FDA has warned of this potentially life-threatening Actos side effect, but has not pulled the drug off the shelves. The FDA is conducting its own investigation into the link between Actos and bladder cancer.

Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuit

Charles S. is seeking special and general relief as well as actual and punitive damages for Takeda Pharmaceutical’s alleged negligent misrepresentation of the side effects of Actos.

The Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 6:14-cv-03416, in the Actos MDL In re: Actos Product Liability Litigation, Case No. 6:11-md-02299, both in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual Actos lawsuit or Actos class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Actos bladder cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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