Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
The litigation related to certain glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) – Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Victoza, Saxenda, Trulicity, Mounjaro, and Zepbound - is active and ongoing.
GLP-1 RAs are a class of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. The function of GLP-1-RAs is to reduce blood sugar and energy intake by activating the GLP-1 receptor found on cells in the pancreas and brain. The GLP-1 RA class of medications includes Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Victoza, and Saxenda, manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S and Novo Nordisk Inc., as well as Trulicity, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company.
Lawsuits are being filed by people who experienced severe and unexpected side effects connected to the use of Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Victoza, Saxenda, Trulicity, Mounjaro, and/or Zepbound including gastrointestinal conditions and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege that the warning labels on the medications failed to adequately disclose the side effects. In a key development, the court recently ruled that gastroparesis / delayed gastric emptying claims must be based on a properly performed gastric emptying study.
The GLP-1 RA lawsuits alleging gastrointestinal injury are concentrated in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) established in 2024 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The MDL procedure is often used to coordinate and consolidate a large number of federal lawsuits that have common questions of fact. The goal of the MDL process is to promote efficiency and consistency. An MDL is not a class action so each lawsuit will still be evaluated on its own merits. The Honorable Karen S. Marston is the Judge overseeing the more than 2,600 GLP-1 RA cases now pending in the MDL. The litigation is still in the early stages so there have been no trials or settlements, but the court is managing pretrial proceedings through status conferences and hearings.
The GLP-1 RA lawsuits claiming NAION, loss of vision caused by damage to the optic nerve as a result of insufficient blood supply sometime referred to as an eye stroke, are newer but growing in number and being handled outside of the MDL at this time.
Our office is currently investigating and filing qualified GLP-1 RA cases. If you think you may have suffered a gastrointestinal injury or vision loss associated with the use of a GLP-1 RAs, then please contact us by phone at (504) 525-8100 or email at info@murray-lawfirm.com.
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