Johnson & Johnson is facing a new product liability lawsuit from a man alleging his diabetic ketoacidosis was caused by Invokana. The Invokana lawsuit claims the diabetic medication had caused his type-2 diabetes condition to compound, and that he now has to worry about long-term kidney complications.

Ohio plaintiff Michael A. was prescribed Invokana on Feb. 9, 2015, to help manage his type-2 diabetes symptoms. Along with diet and exercise, Invokana was supposed to help Michael live a relatively uninterrupted lifestyle without the worry of insulin production.

However, it was not long after he started his prescription that Michael did learn of the possibility of diabetic ketoacidosis caused by Invokana. On Feb. 17, 2015, Michael had been hospitalized due to several severe symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Michael had been diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, and his prescription abruptly ended by his physician’s orders. Along with alleged diabetic ketoacidosis caused by Invokana, Michael was also diagnosed with lactic acidosis and acute kidney failure.

Michael’s physician had abruptly ended his Invokana prescription due to recent studies and FDA warnings indicating possible diabetic ketoacidosis caused by Invokana. It is important to note that at the time he was prescribed Invokana, neither Michael nor his physician were aware of the alleged correlation.

Michael filed legal action against Johnson & Johnson, alleging the company knew of these potential side effects but failed to disclose this information.

Overview of Invokana Complications

Invokana was recently released in the United States as part of the SGLT-2 inhibitor drug family. These medications are highly popular among type-2 diabetes patients, as these medications help regulate the body’s blood sugar levels. SGLT-2 inhibitors work by preventing the body from reabsorbing glucose, and expelling excess blood sugar through urination.

However these medications are directly processed through the kidneys, as their treatment mechanism works directly with this organ. Diabetic ketoacidosis can potentially occur when the body becomes unable to metabolize glucose, and instead metabolizes fat. This causes ketones, or blood acids, to build up in the body and cause problems for the kidneys.

The FDA released an official warning regarding SGLT-2 inhibitors and kidney complications, including alleged cases of diabetic ketoacidosis caused by Invokana. The agency warned that over 20 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis were discovered in patients who were prescribed SGLT-2 inhibitors between March 2013 and June 6, 2014.

Even though diabetic ketoacidosis can be potentially fatal to patients, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn patients and doctors of this potential complication. Michael states that he would never have taken the medication if he had known the risk of possible diabetic ketoacidosis caused by Invokana.

This Invokana lawsuit is Michael A. v. Johnson & Johnson, Case No. 3:17-cv-01083-BRM-LHG, in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.