What is Saxenda?
Saxenda (liraglutide) is a new weight-loss drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It is a higher dose version of Victoza, a medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Saxenda was approved by the FDA on April 27, 2017.
What’s the problem?
Liraglutide, the main active ingredient in Saxenda, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (also known as incretin mimetic), which has been linked to an increased for pancreatitis and pre-cancerous cell changes, according to an FDA Drug Communication issued on March 3, 2014. Pancreatitis is a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Other serious side effects of Saxenda may include kidney failure, thyroid cancer, life-threatening allergic reactions, and more.
Can Pancreatitis Lead to Pancreatic Cancer?
Studies have linked chronic pancreatitis to an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. However, most people with pancreatitis never progress to pancreatic cancer. Chronic pancreatitis is sometimes due to an inherited gene mutation, and patients with this form of the disease have a high lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer.
Saxenda Side Effects
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Thyroid cancer
- Stomach paralysis (gastroparesis)
- Kidney failure
- Life-threatening allergic reactions
- And more
Stomach Paralysis
In August 2023, the manufacturers of Ozempic and Mounjaro, type 2 diabetes drugs in the same class as Saxenda, were named as defendants in a lawsuit alleging that the medications can cause gastroparesis or “stomach paralysis.” The case was filed on behalf of Plaintiff Jaclyn Bjorklund, 44, of DeRidder, Louisiana, who took both Ozempic and Mounjaro at the advice of her doctor. Bjorklund claims that the medications caused her to develop gastroparesis with symptoms so severe that she was hospitalized multiple times and threw up so excessively that she lost teeth.
Stomach paralysis, also known as delayed gastric emptying, is a medical disorder characterized by weak muscular contractions of the stomach, resulting in food and liquid remaining in the stomach for an extended period of time. As a result, stomach contents exit more slowly into the duodenum of the digestive tract. This, in turn, causes irregular absorption of nutrients, inadequate nutrition, and poor glycemic control.
Signs and symptoms of stomach paralysis include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal pain
- A feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites
- Vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier
- Acid reflux
- Changes in blood sugar levels
- Lack of appetite
- Weight loss/malnutrition
Kidney Failure
Saxenda warning labels indicate that the drug may cause nausea,vomiting or diarrhea leading to loss of fluids (dehydration). Dehydration may lead to kidney failure, which can occur in people who have never had kidney problems before. Drinking plenty of fluids may help reduce your risk of dehydration, according to the labeling.
Thyroid Cancer
Saxenda carries a boxed warning which indicates that it may cause thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures in laboratory animals. Doctors have been advised not to prescribe Saxenda to patients with a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Legal Liability in Defective Drug Cases
Considering the large number of lawsuits filed over Victoza, industry analysts expect a similar wave of litigation with Saxenda. These lawsuits would likely fall under product liability law, which imposes a duty on manufacturers and sellers to ensure that their products are free from any unreasonable defects or dangers. If successful, plaintiffs filing Saxenda lawsuits may be eligible to receive compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Has a Class Action Been Filed?
Saxenda is a new medication (approved in April 2017) and the first complaints over the drug have only recently been filed. As such, no class action lawsuit has been filed in the Saxenda litigation. It often takes many years and hundreds of adverse event reports before class action status is considered. However, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’ve been injured. Our lawyers are now filing individual claims on behalf of injured parties. Contact our lawyers to learn more about your legal rights today.
Need More Info?
If you’d like more information about Saxenda and the issues surrounding it, please visit our Saxenda FAQ page.
Do I Have a Saxenda Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Saxenda lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new pancreatic cancer injury and death cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you were injured by Saxenda side effects, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a lawsuit and we can help.