Back in 2013, two drug manufacturers researched whether Onglyza, a popular type-2 diabetes medication, could be used to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

However, the Onglyza clinical trials have revealed data suggesting that this is not the case and in fact the diabetes medication is no more effective in heart health than a placebo.

Pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb had hoped that Onglyza could be marketed as a preventative measure for cardiovascular issues also commonly exhibited by diabetes patients. This would have expanded the use of the companies’ blockbuster drug and potentially expanded sales of Onglyza.

The companies conducted their own clinical trials, and based on the preliminary data released by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Meyers, the Onglyza study could not demonstrate evidence that the diabetes medication was effective in preventing heart attack and strokes among diabetic patients.

According to 2013 reports, Onglyza had generated over $700 million in sales. It was speculated that if Onglyza’s use could be expanded to encompass heart attack and stroke prevention, then Onglyza sales could potentially generate over $1 billion per year, which would have been quite an achievement for its drug makers.

Background on Onglyza

Onglyza is a diabetic drug part of a pharmaceutical classification known as incretin mimetics. This class of drugs work by mimicking the body’s naturally produced hormone known as incretin in order to stimulate the release of insulin after someone eats. Other familiar drugs that are part of the incretin mimetic drug group include:

• Januvia
• Janumet
• Victoza
• Byetta

While many individuals have found success managing their type-2 diabetes when taking Onglyza and other incretin mimetic drugs, others reported experiencing serious incretin mimetic side effects, including pancreatic cancer and even heart failure.

The latter is especially disconcerting considering that just two years ago Bristol-Meyer and Astra Zeneca attempted to market Onglyza as a heart problem preventative treatment.

Onglyza Heart Failure

In the same year as the Onglyza clinical study was released to the public, a SAVOR study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, wherein the researchers looked at 16,492 patients who had been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in order to help health professionals determine which diabetes medications were more beneficial for which patients.

According to this study, patients taking Onglyza had a slightly higher risk of being hospitalized for heart failure when compared to patients taking other types of diabetes drugs.

Technically, the increase in hospitalization for Onglyza patients for heart failure was not statistically significant. However, this study prompted discussion for further investigation into the supposed link between Onglyza use and cardiovascular problems.

As a result, the FDA’s advisory committee urged the federal agency to require Onglyza’s drug makers to include an Onglyza heart failure risk on the pharmaceutical drug’s warning label.

Onglyza Litigation

If you or someone you love suffered from heart failure or pancreatic cancer and you believe it was tied to the use of Onglyza, you may be entitled to compensation and should consider filing an Onglyza lawsuit.