Last week, Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s diabetes drug Byetta was linked to two deaths and four hospitalizations. All the patients are reported to have died after developing acute pancreatitis, the manufacturer said. The condition can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
The four new additional deaths are not connected with the four hospitalizations announced by the FDA, the company said. Last week, the FDA also said it plans to strengthen warnings about serious pancreatitis problems linked to the drug.
Byetta is an injected medication that was approved by the FDA in 2005. It is used to improve blood sugar control and can be combined with other diabetes drugs. Company officials say benefits of the drug still outweigh the risks.
The FDA is currently working on stronger labeling for the injected drug, which has been used by more than 700,000 people since being approved.
