Byetta has recently been linked to serious side effects such as acute pancreatitis, hemorrhagic pancreatitis, and necrotizing pancreatitis. If you or a loved one have experienced side effects as a result of taking Byetta, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Byetta Attorneys of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today for a free Byetta case evaluation.

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Diabetes Drug Could Cause Pancreatic Cancer

-NaturalNews

09/26/2009 - The popular diabetes drug sitagliptin (marketed as Januvia) may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to study conducted by researchers from the University of California- Los Angeles and published in the journal Diabetes.

"Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease -- people often take the same drugs for many years, so any adverse effect that could over time increase the risk for pancreatic cancer would be a concern," said lead researcher Peter Butler. "A concern here is that the unwanted effects of this drug on the pancreas would likely not be detected in humans unless the pancreas was removed and examined."

Previous research has suggested that the diabetes drug Byetta might increase the risk of pancreatic inflammation (pancreatitis), a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Byetta and Januvia both act by enhancing the activity of a gut hormone known as glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), thereby resulting in lower blood sugar.

Byetta manufacturer Amylin Corp. has insisted that the connection between Byetta and pancreatitis could be coincidence, since no mechanism to explain the correlation has yet been found. The new study suggests, however, that enhanced GLP-1 activity might itself be a risk factor for pancreatitis.

Researchers conducted the study on rats that had been genetically engineered to simulate the metabolism of humans with Type 2 diabetes, as well as their Islets of Langerhans. They treated 40 rats with either Januvia or a Januvia-metformin combination for 12 weeks.

The Islets of Langerhans are hormone-producing regions of the pancreas. Metformin is an older diabetes drug that is believed to have tumor-suppressing properties.

The researchers found that rats treated only with Januvia had significantly higher proliferation of beta cells in their Islets of Langerhans, while some developed pancreatic abnormalities or inflammation. Rats treated with both drugs did not exhibit this effect.

Beta cells produce the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin.

If you or a loved one have suffered pancreatitis, hemorrhagic pancreatitis, necrotizing pancreatits, or death as a result of taking Byetta, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Byetta attorneys of Ennis & Ennis today for a free confidential case evaluation. Our on staff nurse and lawyers are standing by to answer any questions you may have regarding Byetta side effects, a possible Byetta class action lawsuit, or any other type of Byetta Pancreatitis litigation.