Pharmaceutical giants Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Eli Lilly and Company are facing a product liability lawsuit from a Texas woman alleging Jardiance and Invokana injuries.

The woman had been prescribed these medications to help manage her type-2 diabetes symptoms, but allegedly developed serious kidney damage.

Plaintiff Martha W. was prescribed Invokana and Jardiance to manage her type-2 diabetes symptoms by lowering her blood pressure and weight loss.

Martha was first prescribed Invokana in October 2015, but switched to Jardiance in January 2016. For both these medications, Martha only ingested them for their intended use and followed all prescription instructions.

Even though Martha was diligent in following prescription instructions, she was diagnosed with acute kidney failure on February 25, 2016. Martha was hospitalized and had to be on dialysis for several days before being released, and continues to contend with the complications of acute kidney failure.

In addition, Martha was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in alleged result of the medications. Diabetic ketoacidosis and acute kidney failure are both potentially fatal Jardiance and Invokana injuries, to which the manufacturing companies allegedly failed to warn against.

The FDA warned against this correlation on May 15, 2015, when the agency warned that SGLT-2 inhibitor drugs can cause diabetic ketoacidosis. In a later FDA warning in December 2015, the agency found 73 reports of diabetic ketoacidosis in conjunction with Jardiance and Invokana injuries.

Overview of SGLT-2 Inhibitor Complications

Invokana and Jardiance are SGLT-2 inhibitors which work by stopping the body from reabsorbing glucose and excreting the excess sugar through urination. By keeping blood sugar and insulin levels balanced, type-2 diabetes patients can live healthier and longer lifestyles.

However the FDA warned SGLT-2 inhibitors may cause diabetic ketoacidosis to develop, as the drugs cause acids in the blood to increase. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body is forced to metabolize fat instead of sugar, which produced blood acids or “ketones.”

This condition can occur if not enough insulin is produced, or if the acidity in the blood increases dramatically. Oftentimes this condition leads to kidney failure, which can quickly turn deadly for the patients.

The FDA officially warned against this correlation on June 14, 2016, when the agency stated that SGLT-2 inhibitors may cause acute kidney damage or failure. The agency had found linked 101 patients who were diagnosed with acute kidney injury after reportedly using SGLT-2 inhibitors.

Even though these conditions are potentially fatal, the manufacturing companies allegedly failed to warn patients like Martha against Jardiance and Invokana injuries.

Martha is seeking damages for multiple counts of negligence, stating she never would have used the medications if she had known the possible Jardiance and Invokana injuries.

The Invokana Injuries Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-186, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.