A Guide to Tepezza: Complications, Lawsuit Eligibility, and More

Corporate greed has taken over the pharmaceutical industry. In the last decade, 14 pharmaceutical companies spent over USD 740 billion on shareholders to make a profit. Similarly, these greedy companies ripped off millions of Americans by selling medications with serious side effects.

The same happened with Horizon Therapeutics and its sale of Tepezza. It is the brand name for Teprotumumab, used to treat people with rare eye conditions. In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this drug as a treatment option for Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).

People affected by this autoimmune disorder were overjoyed since it was the first non-surgical treatment. However, in 2021, studies showed that 65% of TED patients undergoing Tepezza treatment suffered hearing loss.

In this blog, we will discuss Tepezza’s side effects, its lawsuit, and eligibility criteria.

Tepezza Side Effects- An Overview

TED causes tissue damage, swelling, and inflammation around the eye. Due to this, you can develop symptoms like double vision, pain, and watery eyes. Tepezza helped manage these symptoms and treated the disease by blocking autoantibodies. In some cases, it eased tissue expansion and inflammation.

The clinical trials for Tepezza proved the drug’s effectiveness. Hence, the FDA approved it on January 21st, 2020. They later pushed it as an Orphan Drug to encourage the development of medications for other autoimmune disorders.

According to initial reports, this drug caused manageable side effects like nausea, hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, headaches, and more. It also showed improvement in the TED symptoms, which helped enhance the patient’s quality of life.

However, later studies indicated links to tinnitus and hearing loss. At first, only 10% of patients suffered from minor hearing problems. It later rose to 65% of patients. Among them, 23% of people had subjective hearing loss.

Some patients developed eustachian tube dysfunction. Moreover, high blood sugar, inflammatory bowel disease, and infusion reactions were common side effects.

Are You Eligible for the Tepezza Lawsuit?

The manufacturer, Horizon Therapeutics, knew about the significant and unmanageable side effects. However, the company did not warn the patients. As a result, people getting Tepezza treatment for TED developed hearing issues, bowel diseases, and more.

Daniel W. from Arizona was a victim. He received Tepezza infusions from June 2020 to September 2020. The doctors later diagnosed him with permanent hearing loss after prolonged use. The doctors did not know about these issues. Hence, he was the first to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer for failing to warn about irreversible risks.

Do you resonate with Daniel’s case? Have you received Tepezza treatments? Would you like to get justice for this wrongdoing?

Then, you need to file a Tepezza hearing loss lawsuit. Doing so holds the manufacturers responsible for medical expenses related to these possible risks. The statute of limitations for this case allows a one-to-five-year timeframe. Therefore, you should file the lawsuit within this timeline after developing side effects.

According to TruLaw, you are eligible even if the doctors gave you one round of Tepezza. Due to this, you may experience temporary hearing loss and other complications. Ensure that you have proof of hearing-related issues to be eligible.

How to Get the Compensation You Deserve?

Pursuing a product liability case will get you compensation from the company’s insurance. However, you cannot prove physical flaws in the drug. Instead, your claim should revolve around the failure to offer adequate warnings.

On the other hand, a mass tort case will combine multiple Tepezza lawsuits into a single legal proceeding. The attorneys will consider this if the severity of your injury aligns with others. As a result, you can seek compensation for losses such as:

• Expenses related to surgery, medical equipment, treatment, and prescriptions for hearing loss
• Loss of earning capacity, leading to a reduced wage due to the Tepezza side effects
• Quality of life deterioration, inconvenience, emotional distress, and suffering caused by the drug

You can also get compensation for out-of-pocket expenses. Moreover, you can claim the costs of daily assistance required during recovery.

However, you should show convincing evidence. It will prove the manufacturer’s negligent behavior. This way, your attorney can negotiate the compensation terms based on the extent of your injury.

The Bottom Line

As you know, Tepezza is a rare medication for a rare disease. Hence, the estimated cost for each vial was USD 14,900. It could cost you over USD 200,000 for a six-month treatment. Horizon Therapeutics made approximately USD 3.23 billion in 2021 since they did not warn patients.

As a result, people were furious. That is when they took the legal route. They wanted justice for the wrongdoing and expenses. A 2022 study stated that 81.5% of people developed hearing problems after stopping treatment.

This study solidified the victims’ winning chances. The legal community estimates a settlement between USD 140,000 and USD 250,000. However, the lawsuit is ongoing, and everyone is waiting for updates.