A Kentucky resident has filed an Invokana design defect lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its parent company Johnson & Johnson.

The plaintiff accuses the drug maker of failing to adequately warn consumers and the medical community about serious and dangerous risks associated with taking the diabetes medicine, specifically the possibility of developing ketoacidosis.

Plaintiff Evelyn J. claims in her Invokana design defectlawsuit that she suffered severe and life-threatening side effects of kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and ketoacidosis from taking the drug in January 2015 to treat her type-2 diabetes.

She was hospitalized for multiple days for these serious complications.

Evelyn further alleges that the pharmaceutical companies willfully concealed their knowledge of Invokana design defect in order to prevent any chances that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Invokana would be delayed.

Evelyn claims she had relied on advertised claims that Invokana is a safe and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes, when, according to the Invokana design defect lawsuit, the defendants knew or should have known the risks associated with the use of the diabetes medicine.

About Invokana

Invokana was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on March 29, 2013, for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

However, in May 2015, the FDA warned in a safety communication that this drug may put patients at risk for a serious health condition known as ketoacidosis.

When a drug that is already on the market poses a potential threat to patients, the FDA will review Adverse Event Reports and further investigate the drug.

In the case of Invokana, the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is investigating a link between the use of Invokana and the development of a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous state that can lead to kidney failure and other serious complications.

The FDA’s safety communication issued on May 15, 2015, instructed doctors to continue to monitor patients and to report all Adverse Events that may be linked to Invokana design defect.

Invokana belongs to a class of diabetes drugs named sodium-glucose contransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.

SGLT2 inhibitors all share similar active ingredients that may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious condition where the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones that may require hospitalization.

What is Ketoacidosis?

Ketoacidosis occurs when the cells do not receive the glucose needed by your body for energy and the body begins to burn fat for energy, which produces ketones.

When ketones build up in the bloodstream, it becomes more acidic and can poison your body.

Diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to serious health problems, including diabetic coma.

Other complications include heart attack, blood clots, and kidney failure. In some situations, it can even lead to death.

Invokana Design Defect Lawsuits

At this time, attorneys are investigating the possibility of filing Invokana design defect lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, claiming that the drug maker knew or should have known of the high risk of diabetic ketoacidosis associated with their diabetes treatment but failed to provide adequate warning in an effort to protect their own profits.

If you or a loved one suffered serious Invokana side effects or side effects from another SGLT2 inhibitor drug, you may be owed substantial compensation for medical expenses and other damages.

The Invokana Design Defect Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-05388 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New Jersey.