Johnson & Johnson is facing a new Invokana lawsuit from an Alabama man alleging the medication severely compounded his condition.

Plaintiff Mark A. says he was prescribed Invokana in April 2014 to treat his type-2 diabetes.

With the drug’s unique treatment mechanism, Mark expected he would have been able to maintain proper blood sugar levels without having to worry about going into insulin shock.

The drug in question was supposed to improve the patient’s control over his diabetic symptoms, but it has allegedly caused an additional health complication.

Mark says he stayed on Invokana until September 2015, around which point he says he was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Mark claims the company failed to disclose vital safety information to him that would have prevented him from developing diabetic ketoacidosis.

Invokana Lawsuit Cites Evidence of Link to Ketoacidosis

Invokana was approved by the FDA in March 2013. It’s a member of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor drug family.

These medications work by preventing the body from reabsorbing glucose and by signaling the body to expel excess sugar through urination.

While this treatment mechanism has proved effective for many patients, experts are now warning that this drug could prove damaging to the kidneys.

Ever since the drug’s release, the FDA has received numerous complaints of kidney damage and diabetic ketoacidosis that allegedly resulted from Invokana or other SGLT2 inhibitors.

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body becomes unable to metabolize glucose and instead metabolizes fat, creating a buildup of blood toxins called ketones.

This excess of ketones causes the blood to become very acidic, potentially resulting in death if not treated promptly.

The FDA warned against this potential correlation in May 2015, stating that SGLT2 inhibitors may increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis.

The agency sent out this warning after receiving over 20 reports of patients who developed diabetic ketoacidosis after being prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors between March 2013 and April 2014.

Johnson & Johnson allegedly knew of the alleged association between Invokana and diabetic ketoacidosis before the warning came out, but the company allegedly failed to disclose the risk.

According to the Invokana lawsuit, Mark only used the medication for its intended use and did not deviate from prescription instructions.

In addition, Mark says he followed the advice of his physician and received no disclosure from Johnson & Johnson regarding the alleged correlation.

Mark says he will require chronic medical care for the treatment of not only his type-2 diabetes but also for diabetic ketoacidosis as well.

Mark states that he never would have taken Invokana if he had known about the alleged link between the diabetes drug and diabetic ketoacidosis.

He is filing this Invokana lawsuit seeking compensation for a number of different claims, including multiple counts of negligence.

The Invokana Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-06760 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton Division.