Minneapolis, MN—August 03, 2017—Judge Lorna G. Schofield of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has appointed Robins Kaplan LLP® attorney Holly Dolejsi as co-lead counsel in multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving the diabetes drug Farxiga.
Dolejsi will also serve as one of seven attorneys on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the litigation, which involves claims that users of Farxiga suffered diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition characterized by high levels of acid in the blood that can lead to coma or death if left untreated.
In March 2017, Dolejsi argued for the formation of a Farxiga MDL before a panel of seven federal judges. The cases were consolidated by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation shortly thereafter, in April 2017.
Earlier this year, Dolejsi was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in a similar MDL against Invokana, another drug used to treat diabetes that has also been linked to diabetic ketoacidosis. She has also been heavily involved in some of the most notable cases handled by Robins Kaplan’s Mass Tort Group, including: Stryker Rejuvenate/ABG II modular hip litigation; federal litigation involving Benicar, a popular prescription blood pressure medication that may cause severe intestinal problems; and wrongful death cases involving GranuFlo® and NaturaLyte®. In recognition of her work, she was recently named a 2017 “Up & Coming Attorney” by Minnesota Lawyer.
The case is In re Farxiga (Dapagliflozin) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2776. It is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York before the Hon. Lorna G. Schofield.
What is Farxiga?
Farxiga is part of a class of diabetes drugs known as sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Plaintiffs allege that Farxiga co-promoters Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP failed to adequately test the drug and warn doctors and patients of risks. To date, 28 cases are pending in the MDL, with more expected as the two year anniversary of the change to the drug’s label to warn of ketoacidosis is in December of this year.
