CaseyGerry’s Gayle M. Blatt Assumes a Leadership Role in MDL Litigation

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Dec. 11 2013) – Gayle M. Blatt – a partner with San Diego-based CaseyGerry and head of its pharmaceutical and medical device practice group – has been appointed by U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia to serve as co-liaison counsel for the growing number of incretin mimetic products liability cases in multidistrict litigation (MDL 2452) now pending in the Southern District of California.

As co-liaison counsel in the multidistrict litigation, Blatt will be responsible for facilitating communications between the respective parties in the MDL and the court overseeing the litigation.

Currently there are over 150 cases pending in the MDL involving incretin mimetic drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes – Byetta, Januvia, Janumet and Victoza – and new cases are being filed at a rate of between 20 and 40 per month.

The incretin-based therapies products liability litigation MDL alleges that use of the drugs can cause pancreatic cancer. In August of this year, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated all federally filed suits involving the diabetes drugs to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

According to court documents, plaintiffs allege that use of one or more of the four drugs caused them to develop pancreatic cancer. As more lawsuits are filed over the side effects of incretin mimetics, the multidistrict litigation is estimated to grow to over 2,000 cases.

Blatt, who concentrates her practice on pharmaceutical and product liability litigation, is especially active in complex product liability cases such as this.

About CaseyGerry

CaseyGerry was established in 1947, and is the oldest plaintiffs’ law firm in San Diego. The firm’s 15 attorneys practice in numerous areas, including asbestos, serious personal injury, product liability and pharmaceutical litigation. Headquartered at 110 Laurel St. in the Banker’s Hill neighborhood of San Diego, the firm also has an office in Carlsbad, Calif. For more information, visit www.caseygerry.com.