According to a Nasdaq report, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s new type 2 diabetes drug, Synjardy. Synjardy is the latest in a new line of diabetes medications known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, called SGLT2 inhibitors for short.
SGLT2 inhibitors help lower patients’ blood sugar by preventing reabsorption of glucose in the kidneys and eliminating excess sugar through urine. However, SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana (canagliflozin), Farxiga (dapagliflozin), and Jardiance (empagliflozin) have been linked in research to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious and potentially fatal blood condition wherein the body produces too many blood acids. In May, the FDA issued a safety communication warning that SGLT2 inhibitor use may lead to ketoacidosis. Furthermore, evidence suggests SGLT2 inhibitors may complicate or delay diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Synjardy is the third SGLT2 inhibitor to contain empagliflozin. It combines Lily’s original Jardiance formula with metformin. Lilly hopes the new combination treatment will provide a viable alternative to type 2 diabetes patients in whom Jardiance alone is not effective.
Along with the potential ketoacidosis risk posed by all SGLT2 inhibitors, Synjardy’s label also carries a boxed warning about lactic acidosis, a metabolic condition caused by lactate buildup in the body, which can be triggered by metformin therapy. Lactic acidosis can lead to nausea, vomiting, muscle fatigue, and breathing complications.
Ask your doctor about any health risks your medications may pose. If you or someone you know was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis after taking an SGLT2 inhibitor such as Invokana, Farxiga, Jardiance, or Synjardy, contact the pharmaceutical lawyers at Lopez McHugh to receive your free legal consultation. You may qualify for compensation through an SGLT2 inhibitor lawsuit.
