OxBryta (voxelotor) is a prescription medication developed by Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) and later acquired by Pfizer for the treatment of sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder. In 2019, the FDA granted OxBryta accelerated approval based on clinical trial data showing increases in hemoglobin levels, a surrogate marker believed to correlate with clinical benefit.
However, post-approval and confirmatory studies later raised serious safety concerns. Emerging data suggested that some patients taking OxBryta experienced higher rates of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), strokes, organ complications, and death compared to expectations. In September 2024, Pfizer initiated a voluntary global market withdrawal of OxBryta after concluding that the drug’s benefits no longer outweighed its risks for patients with sickle cell disease.
OxBryta lawsuits allege that Global Blood Therapeutics and Pfizer failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about the drug’s potential risks, including increased vaso-occlusive crises, stroke, organ failure, and mortality. Plaintiffs claim the companies knew or should have known, based on clinical development data, post-market surveillance, and confirmatory trial results, that OxBryta posed serious safety concerns.
The lawsuits further allege that, despite these warning signs, the defendants continued to aggressively market OxBryta, downplaying or omitting material risk information. According to the plaintiffs, this conduct exposed vulnerable sickle cell patients to avoidable harm while prioritizing commercial interests over patient safety.
If you or a loved one took OxBryta and suffered serious complications, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost income, disability, or wrongful death. OxBryta litigation seeks to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable for alleged failures in drug design, testing, labeling, and post-market risk disclosure.
These cases also aim to reinforce the importance of transparency and patient safety when drugs are fast-tracked through the FDA’s accelerated approval process.
A joint case management statement was submitted by plaintiff Tirrell Allen and defendants Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc., and Pfizer Inc. The parties acknowledged multiple related actions pending in federal and state courts and began discussions regarding mediation and coordinated case management.
Plaintiffs Tirrell Allen and LaToya Allen filed a joint case management statement outlining jurisdictional issues, discovery plans, and anticipated motions. A motion to dismiss hearing was scheduled for July 8, 2025, with a jury trial tentatively set for June 7, 2027.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order coordinating three federal OxBryta cases under a single judge: Frazier v. Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc., Jolly et al. v. Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc., and Allen et al. v. Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. A case management conference was scheduled for July 10, 2025.
Following OxBryta’s market withdrawal, multiple lawsuits were filed in California state and federal courts. In one case, the estate of Marissa Harris alleged that OxBryta caused severe complications leading to her death, asserting claims for strict liability, failure to warn, negligence, fraud, breach of warranty, and wrongful death.
Several plaintiffs filed suit in federal court alleging that the defendants misrepresented OxBryta’s safety profile and failed to disclose known risks, including increased vaso-occlusive crises, stroke, infection, and death. Claims included breach of warranty, fraud, and violations of consumer protection laws.
Illinois resident Tirrell Allen filed suit against Pfizer and GBT after experiencing worsening vaso-occlusive crises and suffering a stroke shortly after beginning OxBryta treatment. The complaint alleges defective design, failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranty, and false advertising.
Plaintiff Trebor Hardiman filed a state court lawsuit alleging that OxBryta caused more frequent vaso-occlusive crises and a stroke resulting in permanent vision loss. The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for alleged reckless conduct.
Pfizer announced a voluntary withdrawal of OxBryta from the global market after reviewing confirmatory trial and post-market data indicating that the drug’s risks outweighed its benefits for sickle cell patients.
