A man has filed an Invokana ketoacidosis lawsuit within the larger multidistrict litigation taking place in New Jersey federal court. As of the last update, the plaintiff’s lawsuit joins approximately 444 others with similar allegations surrounding the drug.

Plaintiff William B. says he began taking Invokana in May 2015 to treat his type-2 diabetes. Approximately two months later, William says, he was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, the Invokana ketoacidosis lawsuit states. He was then required to be hospitalized on a number of occasions and required substantial medical treatment for his injuries.

Invokana (canagliflozin) was approved by the FDA in March 2013 to treat patients with type-2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of medications known as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. Several other drugs are included in this class.

These medications work by inhibiting the reabsorption of renal glucose, which then gets excreted in the urine rather than being reabsorbed into the body. While this is effective in lowering blood sugar levels, it also tends to put a great deal of stress on the kidneys of patients who are already at risk of kidney disease because of their type-2 diabetes.

A number of patients taking Invokana have developed a serious condition known as ketoacidosis. This condition develops when a person’s body burns a large proportion of fat for energy instead of glucose. Along with the breakdown of fats, ketones are introduced into the bloodstream, and these are very acidic.

Having acidic blood can be very damaging. The pH of a person’s blood must remain at an appropriate pH level, and anything that makes the blood too alkaline or to acidic is harmful. When ketones build up in the body, ketoacidosis may result. Typically, high glucose levels and frequent urination accompany ketoacidosis.

Excess ketones are typically excreted through the urine to keep the blood’s acidity in check. “[H]owever, because INVOKANA places the kidneys under duress by expelling significant amounts of glucose that has not been metabolized through the urinary tract, INVOKANA users are often unable to obtain blood-acid balance without medical intervention,” according to William’s Invokana ketoacidosis lawsuit.

According to the complaint, not only are patients with diabetes being affected by Invokana ketoacidosis, patients have been prescribed the medication in an off-label manner for weight loss and reduced blood pressure, among other conditions. This actually places more than just diabetic patients at risk.

Typically, ketoacidosis is a risk faced by type-1 diabetic patients, because these patients are unable to metabolize glucose. But with Invokana use, type-2 diabetics can also suffer ketoacidosis as well.

The Invokana ketoacidosis lawsuit highlights a number of alleged failures of the manufacturers which led to personal injury issues reported by Invokana users. These included failing to properly warn patients about ketoacidosis, failing to warn patients that they needed to monitor ketones, failing to include warnings about kidney impairment and kidney failure and more.

“Consumers of Invokana and their physicians relied on the Defendants’ false representations of her misled as to the drug’s safety, and as a result have suffered injuries including diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, sepsis, cardiovascular problems, stroke, and the life-threatening complications thereof,” the Invokana ketoacidosis lawsuit states.

William has brought forth a number of allegations against the defendants including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, fraud and violation of consumer protection laws.

The plaintiff is seeking punitive and compensatory damages, judgment against the defendants, pre- and post- judgment interest, and any additional relief as deemed just and proper by the Court. He is seeking a trial by jury.

The Invokana Ketoacidosis Lawsuit is Case No. 3:17-cv-04540 and is part of the Invokana MDL In re: Invokana (Canaglifloszin) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2750, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.