More Deaths Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Drug Byetta

One week after the Type 2 diabetes drug Byetta was named a factor in the deaths of two patients, the drug makers have confirmed the deaths of four more people who had been taking the drug.

Byetta, made by Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, has been linked to acute pancreatitis, which can result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. The four most recent patient deaths, revealed on August 26, 2008, were caused by a milder form of pancreatitis than the earlier deaths, officials said.

All four patients also had complicating medical conditions in addition to Type 2 diabetes, ranging from leukemia to gallstones, which were likely the primary cause of death, officials said.

The string of drug-related deaths has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to develop stronger warnings for Byetta’s labeling about the risk of pancreatitis. Byetta was approved in June 2005 and has been used by more than 700,000 people.

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