Tepezza, the first treatment for thyroid eye disease, has been linked to irreversible hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), deafness, and other serious side effects.
Need a Texas Tepezza Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with hearing loss after taking Tepezza, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
UPDATE: Tepezza Lawsuits Centralized in MDL
In June 2023, dozens of Tepezza lawsuits nationwide were centralized in a federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 3029). Going forward, lawyers expect that many more lawsuits nationwide will be centralized in the MDL for pre-trial coordination.
The Tepezza MDL is located in Illinois under U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin: IN RE: TEPEZZA MARKETING, SALES PRACTICES, AND PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION.
What is the Problem?
Lawsuits allege that Horizon Therapeutics has failed to warn patients about the risk of hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and deafness from Tepezza.
Some experts are concerned because Tepezza blocks a protein called IGF-1R, which can damage hair cells that are located deep inside the inner ear.
These cells grow tiny hairs that vibrate when they are hit by sound waves and transmit signals to the brain. If the hair cells are damaged or destroyed by a toxic medication like Tepezza, a person can suffer from permanent hearing loss, deafness, or other side effects.
Man With Hearing Loss Files 1st Tepezza Lawsuit
In August 2022, a man who was diagnosed with hearing loss filed a Tepezza lawsuit against Horizon Pharmaceuticals for failing to warn about the risk of permanent hearing damage.
The plaintiff, Daniel W., is a man from Arizona who was received multiple infusions of Tepezza from June 2020 to September 2020.
He claims that he was not warned about the hearing side effects of Tepezza, but soon developed permanent hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
The lawsuit claims that Horizon Pharmaceuticals failed to recommend routine audiological monitoring for patients on Tepezza, “despite study after study providing clear evidence” of a risk of hearing loss.
The Tepezza Lawsuit was filed on August 25, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois — Case Number 1:22-cv-04518.
What is Tepezza?
Tepezza (teprotumumab) is a treatment for thyroid eye disease that was developed by Horizon Pharmaceuticals. Tepezza is administered directly into the vein (an intravenous infusion) once every three weeks for a total of eight infusions.
Tepezza and Hearing Loss
Since its approval in January 2020, Tepezza has been linked to a growing number of reports of hearing loss — including some cases of irreversible hearing loss. Even so, the label on Tepezza does not include any warnings about permanent deafness.
What is the Risk?
Lawsuits allege that Horizon Therapeutics has failed to warn patients and doctors that the risk of hearing loss from Tepezza could be as high as 65% of patients, which is much higher than what is currently on the label, based on data from recent studies.
In clinical trials, Horizon found that about 10% of patients on Tepezza reported hearing loss, vs. 0% of patients on a placebo. Most of these cases were temporary, but the study did not differentiate between mild and severe cases. The most common hearing side effects were hypoacusis (hearing loss) followed by tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Hearing Side Effects Linked to Tepezza
- Hearing loss
- Deafness
- Distorted sounds
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Autophony (hearing your own voice abnormally loud)
- Ear feels blocked or full
- Patulous eustachian tube
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- And more
Tepezza Linked to 65% Risk of Hearing Loss
In March 2021, a small study published by researchers at Stanford University found that the risk of hearing loss with Tepezza could be as high as 65% of patients, according to The Endocrine Society.
To explore the risk of hearing symptoms, researchers evaluated 26 patients who were treated with at least 4 infusions of Tepezza. Seventeen patients (65%) complained of hearing symptoms.
The most common symptoms were hearing loss (23%), tinnitus or ringing in the ears (27%), ear plugging sensation (12%), and autophony, an unusually loud hearing of a person’s own voice (29%).
Out of the 17 patients with new hearing problems, four patients had new or worsening sensorineural hearing loss, which results from damaged hair cells in the inner ear.
Three patients had patulous eustachian tube, a disorder in which the channel that runs between the middle ear and back of the nose and throat stays open.
Case Reports of Irreversible Hearing Loss With Tepezza
Doctors have published a growing number of case reports describing irreversible hearing loss with Tepezza:
- Ototoxicity and Teprotumumab (August 2021) — 61-year-old woman diagnosed with irreversible hearing loss in both ears that did not improve 4 months after she stopped taking Tepezza. She also reported hearing distorted sounds, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and sensorineural hearing loss.
- Teprotumumab and Hearing Loss: Case Series and Proposal for Audiologic Monitoring (January 2022) — Study describes 4 patients on Tepezza who developed severe hearing loss that did not improve. The researchers theorized a mechanism of how Tepezza could damage hearing, “likely resulting from the inhibition of the insulin-like growth factor-1 and the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor pathway.”
Need a Tepezza Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our law firm for a free case review.
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