Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease sufferers who undergo treatment with Entyvio infusions may be at risk for serious pulmonary side effects, possibly including interstitial lung disease or fibrosis of the lungs. The injection, manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, has been available in the United States since 2014, with no warnings about the serious and potentially life-threatening lung problems users may encounter. If you have developed interstitial lung disease, fibrosis of the lungs, or another serious lung issue after taking Entyvio, or if you lost a loved one to a fatal lung disease, contact Consumer Safety Watch today. You may be able to recover compensation from Takeda Pharmaceuticals for the harm you and your family have suffered.
Entyvio is the brand name of the drug vedolizumab, an integrin receptor antagonist medication administered via IV infusion every few weeks to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) in adults. UC and CD are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases that inflame the lining of the digestive tract and cause tiny sores, or ulcers, to develop. Although UC and CD affect the body in slightly different ways, both conditions can disrupt the body’s ability to digest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste in a healthy manner. Entyvio is designed to reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and has been embraced as a promising treatment for managing UC and CD flare-ups and helping users maintain remission without steroids. However, emerging information suggests that while Entyvio treatment may improve a patient’s quality of life by leading to remission, it can also put users at risk for serious and potentially life-threatening pulmonary disease.
Over the past several years, a number of case studies have identified Entyvio treatment as a possible risk factor for the development of serious lung injuries like interstitial lung disease, a broad term used to describe a group of diseases that cause scarring of the lungs, shortness of breath, and other potentially irreversible lung problems that can ultimately result in death. In one case study published in February 2022, a patient with UC developed what the researchers called vedolizumab-related interstitial lung disease after receiving just two doses of Entyvio. The patient was treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids, but he eventually died of respiratory failure.
Approved by the FDA in 2014, Entyvio was originally recommended only for individuals with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease who are unable to tolerate certain other medications or in cases where other medications have not worked well enough. However, 2020 clinical practice guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association indicate that adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis should begin treatment with Entyvio (or another biologic) right away. Furthermore, patients who achieve remission with Entyvio are advised to continue the treatment as maintenance therapy indefinitely, or risk having the disease reappear.
According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, more than 1.5 million Americans currently suffer from symptoms of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, and it is estimated that roughly 27% of these patients are prescribed Entyvio. Unfortunately, there are no warnings about the risk of pulmonary side effects on the Entyvio drug label, and patients and healthcare providers have not been properly notified about the potential for the ulcerative colitis drug to cause interstitial lung disease or fibrosis of the lungs in users. Patients who have developed interstitial lung disease or lost a loved one to an alleged pulmonary side effect of Entyvio treatment may have grounds to file an Entyvio lawsuit against Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Contact Consumer Safety Watch as soon as possible to find out if you may be eligible to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses by filing a Entyvio lawsuit.
