In a striking legal development, a Florida resident has filed a lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical company, alleging severe and permanent hearing damage caused by one of its prescription drugs. The complaint was lodged by Benjamin Bell in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 1, 2025, targeting Horizon Therapeutics USA, Inc.
The lawsuit centers around Tepezza, a drug manufactured by Horizon Therapeutics and marketed as an infusion treatment for thyroid eye disease (TED). According to the complaint, Bell suffered irreversible hearing loss after receiving Tepezza infusions between May and October 2021. The plaintiff contends that Horizon Therapeutics failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about the risk of permanent hearing damage associated with the drug until July 2023. It was only then that the label was updated to include warnings about "severe hearing impairment including hearing loss" and instructions for monitoring patients' hearing during treatment.
Bell's legal team argues that Horizon Therapeutics was aware or should have been aware of these risks due to numerous patient reports and scientific studies highlighting the potential for serious auditory side effects. Despite this knowledge, they allege that the company did not take appropriate action to inform users or regulators promptly. "As a proximate result of Defendant’s wrongful actions and inactions," Bell claims he suffered significant injuries and damages from using Tepezza.
The complaint accuses Horizon Therapeutics of negligence in testing, labeling, marketing, and distributing Tepezza without proper warnings about its potential dangers. The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for his injuries, statutory damages for violations of consumer protection laws, punitive damages to deter similar conduct in the future, as well as attorneys’ fees and court costs.
This case also sheds light on internal issues within Horizon Therapeutics. According to legal documents referenced in Bell's complaint, Dr. Wenzhong “Jerry” Liu, a former Executive Medical Director at Horizon who raised concerns about underreported adverse effects related to Tepezza’s use, was allegedly terminated after advocating for more transparency regarding these risks. Dr. Liu’s allegations suggest that internal data indicated higher rates of hearing impairment than publicly disclosed—a claim that could significantly impact the proceedings if substantiated.
Horizon Therapeutics has been under scrutiny since numerous adverse event reports linked Tepezza with auditory disorders such as tinnitus and hypoacusis (reduced hearing), prompting regulatory attention from bodies like the FDA. These reports date back to 2020 when Tepezza first entered the market but were not formally addressed through labeling changes until mid-2023.
The outcome of this case could have broad implications not only for those affected by TED treatments but also for pharmaceutical companies’ responsibilities in ensuring patient safety through accurate product information dissemination.
Representing Benjamin Bell are attorneys from various law firms specializing in pharmaceutical litigation. The case is presided over by Judge Thomas Durkin with Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman assisting in proceedings under Case ID: 1:25-cv-03502.