Tasigna, a widely used CML treatment drug, may increase a patient’s risk of developing the dangerous artery disease atherosclerosis, which may lead to more serious problems like a heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease or death.

Some patients have turned to litigation against Novartis, the manufacturer of the CML treatment drug. If you or someone you love has suffered from Tasigna complications, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Basics of Tasigna

Tasigna, generically known as nilotinib, is a treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cancer, a slow-growing cancer of the bone marrow and blood cells.

Tasigna is manufactured by Novartis and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007. Novartis developed Tasigna as a replacement for their previous CML treatment drug, Gleevac.

Since its approval just over a decade ago, Tasigna has become one of the most widely used cancer drugs available—in fact, in 2016 alone, Tasigna brought in $1.7 billion in sales. However, despite its popularity, some serious complications have been reported linked with the CML treatment drug.

Side Effects of Tasigna

Of course, any medication will come with certain side effects, and Tasigna is no exception. Side effects should be included in a warning on the drug’s label, and Tasigna side effects include pain, fatigue, nausea, joint pain and constipation as potential risks.

However, CML treatment drug Tasigna has also been linked with a serious risk of the artery disease atherosclerosis, but the warning label doesn’t list this as a potential complication.

Essentially, when a patient suffers atherosclerosis, their artery walls thicken and plaque builds up limiting essential blood flow. A 2016 study showed that atherosclerosis is the leading cause of vascular disease.

Peripheral vascular disease, sometimes known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), can involve symptoms including cramping, pain, or tiredness, as well as difficulty walking or climbing stairs. The symptoms of peripheral vascular disease often lessen with rest, but physical activity once again sparks these symptoms.

The loss of blood circulation from peripheral vascular disease can become a serious risk, even leading to major cardiovascular issues. In extreme cases, when the artery becomes totally blocked from peripheral vascular disease, patients may suffer from gangrene or require limb amputation.

A post market review from the FDA noted that its findings “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease).” The FDA released its findings in 2013, and as a result, Novartis updated its Black Box warning label for CML treatment drug Tasigna to include the risk of peripheral vascular disease.

Filing a Tasigna Lawsuit

Some patients claim that Novartis was aware of the risk of Tasigna side effects, yet failed to warn the public and the medical community about these risks for a substantial period of time.

If you or someone you love has suffered from side effects of the CML treatment drug Tasigna like peripheral vascular disease or related conditions, you may be able to file a lawsuit against Novartis.

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these side effects, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.