A new lawsuit has been filed against a major pharmaceutical company, alleging severe side effects from one of its prescription drugs. On October 18, 2024, Bryan Hale filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois against Horizon Therapeutics USA, Inc., claiming that their drug Tepezza caused him significant hearing impairments.
Bryan Hale, a resident of Peru, Indiana, alleges that his use of Tepezza, a drug developed by Horizon Therapeutics to treat Thyroid Eye Disease (TED), resulted in severe and potentially permanent hearing loss. According to the complaint, Hale was administered Tepezza via infusion from June 8, 2022, through November 3, 2022. He claims that shortly after completing his treatment regimen of eight infusions, he began experiencing bilateral hearing loss which was later confirmed by audiologic testing as moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss.
The complaint accuses Horizon Therapeutics of failing to adequately warn users and prescribers about the risks associated with Tepezza. It asserts that scientific studies and numerous patient reports have established a link between Tepezza and severe hearing impairments. Despite this knowledge, the plaintiff argues that Horizon did not update the drug’s label to include warnings about potential hearing damage until July 17, 2023. The plaintiff’s counsel argues that had these warnings been provided earlier, Hale would not have consented to using Tepezza.
Hale is seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for personal injury and emotional distress caused by what he describes as a defective product. He also seeks punitive damages on grounds of fraud and gross negligence by Horizon Therapeutics in their marketing and labeling practices. The lawsuit highlights several alleged violations of federal law regarding drug safety standards and misbranding.
This article was first published in Cook County Record.
