A woman has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Invokana, an oral medication used to treat type-2 diabetes.

Plaintiff Elizabeth S. named Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson and Tanabe Pharma Corp. as the defendants in her Invokana lawsuit alleging that the companies’ “negligent and wrongful conduct” caused her to be injured as a result of taking the drug.

Elizabeth claims her physician prescribed Invokana for her to take to treat her diabetes in March 2014 and continued its use until April 2014.

Invokana Lawsuit Allegations

As a result of taking Invokana, Elizabeth says she suffered from a stroke and also developed diabetic ketoacidosis as a result of Invokana side effects.

Elizabeth’s Invokana lawsuit states that she suffered “severe and permanent physical and emotional injuries” which included “pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and economic loss, including significant expenses for medical care and treatment which will continue in the future.”

Invokana (canagliflozin) belongs to a class of type of diabetes drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors and was the first drug in its class to receive FDA approval.

Diabetes drugs in the SGLT2 inhibitor class work by inhibiting reabsorption of glucose by the kidneys so it is excreted in the urine, lowering the overall blood glucose levels in the body.

Since its release, a number of side effects have been reported with Invokana use, including severe kidney damage and diabetic ketoacidosis, according to the Invokana lawsuit.

The FDA actually released a safety warning at the end of 2015 requiring the manufacturer to list additional warnings of too much acid in the blood and serious urinary tract infections, as both conditions may require the patient to be hospitalized, the court documents read.

Additionally, the Invokana lawsuit claims, an analysis of the adverse events reported to the FDA show that those taking the drug are several times more likely to report severe Invokana side effects such as severe kidney damage as well.

 “As a result of the defective nature of INVOKANA, persons who were prescribed and ingested INVOKANA, including Plaintiff, have suffered and may continue to suffer severe and permanent personal injuries, including diabetic ketoacidosis, stroke, heart attack, and severe kidney damage,” the Invokana lawsuit asserts.

“The development of Plaintiffs injuries was preventable and resulted directly from Defendants’ failure and refusal to conduct proper safety studies, failure to properly assess and publicize alarming safety signals, suppression of information revealing serious and life-threatening risks, willful and wanton failure to provide adequate instructions, and willful misrepresentations concerning the nature and safety of INVOKANA,” the Invokana lawsuit claims.

Elizabeth has brought forth multiple counts against the drug manufacturers including negligence, strict products liability, breaches of express and implied warranties, and fraudulent misrepresentation.

She is seeking actual, compensatory and punitive damages from the defendants in her Invokana lawsuit, asserting that her complications from Invokana side effects may be lifelong.

The Invokana Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-02467, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.