LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) -- Drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is facing its first trial over its popular diabetes drug Actos.
Actos, an oral antidiabetic medication, can be used together with proper diet and exercise to help control blood sugars in adults with type 2 diabetes.
The drug works by making cells more sensitive to insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas.
Claimants in the case are alleging that the drug causes bladder cancer and other complications.
Courtroom View Network is streaming the trial, being held in California Superior Court in Los Angeles. To view, click here.
According to Drugwatch.com, Takeda is facing more than 3,000 lawsuits over claims that Actos causes bladder cancer and other side effects, including congestive heart failure and liver failure.
Judge Kenneth Freeman will oversee the cases in California.
Other cases are pending in a state court in Illinois.
In addition, more than 1,000 federal suits have been consolidated in Louisiana for pretrial proceedings. The first federal trial is set for November 2014.
Jury selection for the Los Angeles trial began Feb. 19.
As of Thursday, the judge was still giving jury instructions and openings hadn't started.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.