A New Jersey man and his wife have filed a lawsuit against Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Takeda), claiming that the type-2 diabetes treatment drug Actos caused him to develop bladder cancer. They allege Takeda actively concealed cancerous results from human clinical trials, failed to perform adequate research into the side effects of the drug, and misrepresented the risks associated with their product.

Plaintiff Jeffrey R. W. was prescribed Actos, a diabetes drug linked to bladder cancer, from Feb. 2, 2010, through Nov. 2, 2011, to control his type-2 diabetes. Jeffrey claims that as a result of taking this medication, he has suffered permanent and painful injuries. He claims these injuries include developing bladder cancer and the risk and reasonable fear associated with the possibility of future cancer.

He additionally asserts that he has the need for lifelong medical monitoring and treatment, and that his life expectancy has been reduced. He says that he has suffered anxiety, embarrassment, and loss of enjoyment in life as a result of this medication. He also alleges that due to these injuries, he is no longer able to be employed and that he has suffered and will continue to suffer a loss of income and earning capacity.

Jeffrey further alleges that Takeda knew about the dangers associated with this drug. He also alleges that Takeda actively concealed this knowledge from the public. The Actos lawsuit asserts that Takeda possessed animal model carcinogenicity studies showing evidence that Actos had the propensity to cause bladder cancer in animals, and therefore were negligent in their failure to perform adequate research into the drug’s cancer-causing effects on humans.

This diabetes drug linked to bladder cancer accounted for 27 percent of Takeda’s revenue as of 2010, and was the tenth best selling medication in the United States. The Actos lawsuit alleges that the revenue generated by the drug gave Takeda incentive to misrepresent and omit information, and that had Jeffrey been informed that Actos was a diabetes drug linked to bladder cancer, he would not have taken the medication.

Overview of Actos

Approved by the FDA in 1999, Actos is a prescription drug marketed for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. It exerts an antihyperglycemic effect in the presence of endogenous insulin, which helps to control and regulate a patient’s blood sugar levels.

In June 2011, a French regulatory agency published a study showing a statistically significant correlation between the active ingredient in Actos, pioglitazone, and bladder cancer. Researchers reported that bladder cancer was especially likely to be found in patients who have been taking the drug for a year or longer.

On June 15, 2011, after publication of the report, the FDA recommended that doctors stop prescribing the diabetes drug linked to bladder cancer to patients with active bladder cancer.

Actos Litigation

In this Actos lawsuit, Jeffrey’s wife Tonia W. is seeking compensatory damages for her alleged deprivation of comfort and enjoyment, as well as the services and society of her husband. Jeffrey and Tonia are both seeking compensatory damages against each defendant in excess of $75,000, as well as punitive damages, interest, cost of suit, and attorney’s fees. The complaint requests a trial by jury for all issues triable by jury.

This Actos Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-04774-GJP, in the United States District Court, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.