A Washington man recently filed a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging the company’s diabetes drug Invokana caused him serious complications, ultimately leading to a diabetic leg amputation.

The plaintiff, Bret S., alleges he began taking Invokana to treat his diabetes in July 2014. Unfortunately, in the months and years following, Bret says he began experiencing serious side effects of the drug, eventually leading to an amputation of his left third toe on Sept. 2, 2016.

Just four days later, Bret underwent a diabetic leg amputation of his right leg, below the knee. Bret alleges that he was not adequately warned of the risks associated with Invokana, including amputation risks.

The diabetic leg amputation lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and fraud, among several others.

Bret filed his diabetic leg amputation lawsuit on May 25, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Basics of Invokana

Invokana (also known by its generic name, canagliflozin metformin) is a popular type-2 diabetes medication, which works by ridding the bloodstream of glucose and lowering glucose production, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. Invokana is part of a class of type-2 diabetes drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Other drugs belonging to the class include Invokamet and Invokamet XR.

Invokana is manufactured by Janssen, a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. Invokana is a relatively new drug, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2013. Since its approval, Invokana has become one of the more popular diabetes drugs available.

Despite its widespread use, Invokana has been connected with a few severe side effects, some of which have prompted warnings from the FDA. The risk of diabetic leg amputation wasn’t added to the drug’s warning label until July 2017.

Invokana Leg Amputation Risk

Invokana users have reported a number of serious Invokana side effects, including a diabetic leg amputation. Symptoms like pain, ulcers, or infections in the legs or feet may lead to lower limb amputation.

The FDA released a safety announcement in May 2017 updating its information about the link between diabetic leg amputation risk. The safety warning read, in part: “Based on new data from two large clinical trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the type 2 diabetes medicine canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR) causes an increased risk of leg and foot amputations.”

Filing an Invokana Leg Amputation Lawsuit

Lawsuits allege that the manufacturer either knew or should have known about the connection between Invokana and amputation risk, but failed to give adequate warning to the public and the medical community about these problems.

If you or someone you love has suffered from serious side effects after taking Invokana or a similar SGLT2 inhibitor, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Though filing a lawsuit cannot take away a patient’s pain and suffering, it may help to alleviate the financial burden incurred through medical bills and lost wages.

The Diabetic Leg Amputation Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-09727-LHG, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.