Xeljanz^® and Xeljanz XR Lawsuits

Trustwell Law is accepting Xeljanz lawsuits on behalf of patients with arthritis or ulcerative colitis who have taken Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR and have been diagnosed with cancer, a major cardiac event (including heart attacks and strokes), or blood clot complications, including pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Our experienced attorneys take a personalized, compassionate approach. We cut through the legalese and partner with our clients. We also have access to the expertise, resources, and manpower to fully investigate each case and fight for and with our clients against the big corporations to seek the justice they deserve.

If you are considering filing a Xeljanz lawsuit, contact us at 800-796-1636 or submit your details online. A member of our legal team will contact you shortly.

History of Xeljanz Risks and Warnings

The FDA originally approved Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR to treat certain adults with moderate or severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who did not respond well to methotrexate. The FDA also approved the drug for adults with psoriatic arthritis or ulcerative colitis.

A clinical trial found that patients taking 10 mg of Xeljanz twice a day for rheumatoid arthritis showed increased risks of pulmonary embolism and higher death rates than patients in the control group. The FDA had not approved the 10-mg twice-a-day dose for rheumatoid arthritis; that dose had only been approved for ulcerative colitis.

The trial for rheumatoid arthritis was allowed to continue after this discovery, but only at the lower, 5-mg twice-a-day dose.

Pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis are sometimes referred to collectively as venous thromboembolism or venous thromboembolic events (VTE). The packaging for Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR did not contain a warning about the risk of VTE.

In 2019, the FDA warned doctors and patients about the risk of taking the 10-mg twice-a-day dose of Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR for rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, the FDA required Pfizer to add a black box warning to its Xeljanz product labels, warning of the increased risk of blood clots and death with twice-daily doses of 10 mg each. The warning was added to the label in July 2019.

Pfizer added another black box warning in July 2019 concerning the increased risk of sudden cardiovascular-related death to patients over 50 taking 10-mg twice a day.

Then, in February 2021, the FDA issued a public warning about Xeljanz, citing results of a clinical safety trial indicating that there is also an increased risk of cancer and serious heart problems in patients who take Xeljanz.

Based on further study and analysis of the February 2021 trial, in September 2021 the FDA instructed Pfizer to include a cancer warning on Xeljanz labels. The study found that over 4 percent of participants who were treated with Xeljanz developed cancer, as opposed to those who took another medication. Lymphomas and lung cancers were cited. Furthermore, the study found that past and current smokers who took Xeljanz were at heightened risk of developing lung and other cancers.

The cancers most often associated with Xeljanz are:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Lung cancer
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Prostate cancer

Contact a Xeljanz Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer, experienced a major cardiac event, or developed a pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or died due to a PE or DVT while taking any level dose of Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ulcerative colitis, contact us to discuss filing a Xeljanz lawsuit. The consultation is free, and if we take your case, you pay us nothing unless we win your case.