The adverse effects of Onglyza have been at the center of attention for drug injury claims after numerous patients filed legal action against the drug’s manufacturers.

AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb has faced the brunt of these claims from patients alleging they developed serious medical conditions like pancreatitis and even certain cancers as a result of taking Onglyza.

Onglyza was approved by the FDA in 2009, to be a type-2 diabetes treatment drug that would help patients control high blood sugar.

This medication is a part of the incretin mimetic drug family (specifically the DPP-4 inhibitor class) that works by helping regulate blood sugar levels and encourage insulin production.

Onglyza works by reducing the amount of glucagaon produced by the pancreas and stops the liver from making too much glucose.

Combined with the additional treatment mechanism of increasing insulin production during meals, Onglyza became an ideal fit for numerous type-2 diabetes patients.

However, it was not long after its release that patients complained of serious adverse effects of Onglyza, some of which were fatal if not diagnosed in time.

One of the most significant of these complications is linked to the pancreas, which is a direct target due to the drug’s direct interaction with the organ.

According to a March 2013 study published in the medical journal Diabetes, researchers found that deceased patients who had taken Onglyza and other incretin drugs had precancerous cells in their pancreases.

Researchers explained that Onglyza may cause beta cells in the pancreas to increase, which leads to a higher likelihood of pancreatic cancer development.

In consequence, pancreatitis is also considered a significant risk with respect to possible adverse effects of Onglyza. The FDA has also received numerous injury reports of pancreatitis, in alleged conjunction with Onglyza use.

Other adverse effects of Onglyza patients should be aware of include:

Thyroid Cancer: Multiple studies are currently being conducted to observe the alleged link between Onglyza and thyroid cancer. The FDA became concerned with this alleged correlation in 2009 when the FDA became aware that Januvia, a different but similarly classified incretin mimetic, had shown a high correlation to the complication in injury reports.

Heart Failure: A recent study funded by Bristol Myers Squibb found that Onglyza patients had shown a higher rate for being hospitalized for heart failure. Even though this alleged correlation is still under investigation, many medical experts have expressed concern over this alleged Onglyza complication.

Investigating Adverse Effects of Onglyza

At the time of its release, Onglyza was considered a miracle drug for its unique treatment mechanism and introducing a new line of diabetes medications to the drug market. When DPP-4 inhibitors were introduced the market, they were considered one of the biggest medical discovers since insulin.

By balancing insulin and blood sugar levels, Onglyza was formulated to prevent diabetic attacks and fatal conditions like ketoacidosis from occurring.

Onglyza had also gained popularity after it was discovered patients did not gain weight from taking the drug, which is a side effect for many other type-2 diabetes medications.

However, the adverse effects of Onglyza have caused major uproar in the medical community and patient population, as many complain the medication had compounded their condition by inducing additional health conditions as a result of the drug’s use.