A new diabetic amputation lawsuit alleges that the ingestion of Invokana medication led to the loss of the plaintiff’s limb.

The diabetic amputation lawsuit was registered in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey by plaintiffs Robert and Judy G., a married couple. The couple have named Janssen Pharmaceuticals and parent company Johnson & Johnson as the defendants to be held liable.

The primary plaintiff—Robert G.—is a 57-year-old citizen and resident of the State of Missouri with type-2 diabetes. Robert says he was prescribed Invokana in June 2015 when he was 54.

After taking the drug as labeled and prescribed to treat his diabetic condition, he alleges he developed severe diabetic ketoacidosis which led to lasting kidney damage. This occurred in January 2017, a year-and-a-half after beginning treatment.

According to the diabetic amputation lawsuit, Robert continued to take the medication, not connecting Invokana with the kidney event. Five months later, on the first of May 2017, he says he was forced to undergo an amputation.

As a direct consequence of the kidney damage and amputation, Robert alleges he suffered severe pain, emotional distress and mental anguish.

The History of Invokana

Invokana, known generically as canagliflozin, is a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. Invokana as well as other drugs in this class are used mostly to treat type-2 diabetes and help by suppressing the kidney function of sending glucose back into the bloodstream, a process known as re-absorption.

With this suppression in effect, extra blood sugar is eliminated through the body’s urine output. According to the Robert and Judy’s diabetic amputation lawsuit, this puts a great deal of strain on the kidneys in a population where risk factors for kidney disease are already higher than normal.

Invokana was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2013. Two years later, as indicated in this diabetic amputation lawsuit, first quarter sales reports revealed revenue reaching $278 million. For Janssen Pharmaceuticals, this figure represents enormous profits.

The diabetic amputation lawsuit says that the defendants continue to attempt to market this drug for off-label uses such as weight loss, hypertension and type-1 diabetes rather than keep it for its intended and approved use with type-2 diabetes. The plaintiffs claim that they do this despite previously having knowledge of the severe kidney risks associated with Invokana.

The FDA has purportedly been on the receiving end of numerous complaints regarding this blockbuster drug. The complaints reveal instances of adverse medical events involving severe kidney damage and necessary amputations such as what occurred with Robert.

A safety alert presented by the FDA in May 2016 made note of complaints involving amputations. Their analysis indicated that patients taking this medication have nearly double the chance of having to have toe, partial foot, whole foot and leg amputations.

Have you or a loved one taken Invokana and suffered diabetic amputation? You may have a legal claim. Fill out the form on this page to request a legal consultation.

The Diabetic Amputation Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-13750-BRM-LHG in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.