Not long after the Invokana MDL was established by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, the federal judge presiding over it has appointed attorneys to leadership roles within the litigation.

U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti of the District of New Jersey is the judge presiding over the claims in the multidistrict litigation. The JPML decided to consolidate the claims under a single judge at a single location due to the large number of similar Invokana lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer.

Mutlidistrict litigation, or MDL, helps coordinate pretrial proceedings, ensure that duplicative discovery is reduced, foster consistent rulings and generally serve the convenience of the parties involved in the trial, saving time and money. Sometimes all cases are settled in the MDL. Other times they are sent back to their original court for trial after the beginning parts of the litigation have been completed.

Judge Martinotti issued a case management order in late January that named fourteen lawyers to leadership roles that will serve the MDL plaintiffs. Two lawyers were appointed to serve as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs and another was appointed to serve as liaison counsel. Eight attorneys were selected to participate in the Plaintiffs Steering Committee, and the final three will participate in an executive committee.

Allegations in Invokana MDL Lawsuits

The drug Invokana (canagliflozin) is a medication used to treat type-2 diabetes. It is one of a class of drugs known as SGLT-2 inhibitors, or sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. These drugs work by blocking the reuptake of sugar and instead allow it to be excreted through the urine, thereby reducing blood glucose levels. Invokana was also praised for not causing hypoglycemia or weight gain like other diabetes medications.

Invokana quickly became a top-selling drug. But shortly after its popularity began increasing, so did complaints of severe side effects.

Commonly reported side effects in the Invokana MDL include diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition in which too much acid builds up in the blood. Some plaintiffs allege they suffered kidney failure and heart attacks. All of these conditions are potentially fatal.

The Invokana lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, state that the drug manufacturer neglected to properly research the risks associated with taking the drug. Plaintiffs claim Janssen failed to properly warn patients, physicians and the medical community about the serious side effects that were possible with the drug.

Currently, more than 100 Invokana lawsuits are pending as part of the Invokana MDL, which is expected to grow as more and more plaintiffs file claims. Some anticipate that the total number of cases in the MDL will be in the several thousands.

Filing an Invokana Lawsuit

If you or a loved one has taken Invokana to treat type-two diabetes and has experienced diabetic ketoacidosis, heart attack, kidney failure or other serious side effects, you may be entitled to seek legal compensation. An experienced Invokana attorney can advise you about your legal options and whether you may qualify to join the Invokana MDL.