A man who suffered Invokana ketoacidosis adverse side effects says they could have been avoided with a proper warning from the drug’s manufacturer

Plaintiff Gail C. says he started taking Invokana in May 2014, primarily as a treatment for diabetes.

He later came down with diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition he says was caused by the Invokana he took.

He says his Invokana ketoacidosis adverse side effects caused him to incur substantial medical expenses in addition to degrading his health, and he says the condition will continue to require future medical treatment.

Gail names as defendants Janssen Pharmaceuticals, its parent company Johnson & Johnson and Japanese corporation, Tanabe.

All three defendants have been involved in the development, manufacture or marketing of Invokana, according to Gail.

Gail claims that if the defendants had properly alerted him to the risk of Invokana ketoacidosis adverse side effects, he would have avoided that risk by not taking Invokana.

Invokana, also known by the generic name canagliflozin, is a drug used to lower the high levels of blood sugar associated with type-2 diabetes.

It’s a relatively new medication, having been originally approved by the FDA in 2013.

Invokana is in a class of diabetes medications known as SGLT2 inhibitors. These drugs reduce levels of sugar in the blood by inhibiting reabsorption of sugar in the kidneys, causing it to be expelled in the urine.

Though it has only gotten approval to treat type-2 diabetes, Invokana is sometimes prescribed for off-label use to treat type-1 diabetes, according to Gail.

He alleges Janssen and J&J have been marketing Invokana for off-label use.

According to his Invokana lawsuit, the drug in question is one of Janssen’s top sellers, with sales for the first quarter of 2015 reaching $278 million.

Keeping Track of Invokana Ketoacidosis Adverse Side Effects

Gail alleges the defendants knew about cases of ketoacidosis reported in conjunction with Invokana treatment.

But despite these reports of Invokana ketoacidosis adverse side effects, Gail says, the defendants have failed to adequately warn patients about the relevant dangers.

The companies have instead continued to defend and promote Invokana, misleading physicians and the public, Gail alleges.

In addition to Invokana ketoacidosis adverse side effects, Gail says the drug can also cause “stroke, heart attack, and severe kidney damage.”

He alleges that since Invokana was released, the FDA has received a significant number of reports of kidney problems apparently related to treatment with Invokana.

“[P]atients taking Invokana are several times more likely to report severe kidney damage than those taking non-SGLT2 diabetes drugs to treat diabetes,” he alleges.

His Invokana lawsuit raises claims for manufacturing defect, defective design, failure to warn, breach of warranty, negligence, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, and fraud.

He seeks an award of damages, including punitive damages to deter the defendants from any similar conduct in the future. He also seeks reimbursement of his court costs and attorneys’ fees.

The Invokana Ketoacidosis Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-06476, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.