Lawsuit Alleges Oxbryta Vaso-Occlusive Crisis Caused Deadly Side Effects for 8-Year-Old

Attorneys have been working on a global settlement agreement to resolve all Oxbryta lawsuits since last year.

A Mississippi mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Pfizer, alleging that its Oxbryta sickle cell disease treatment caused her child to suffer fatal side effects the drug was supposed to be designed to avoid.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Mocha Myers, on behalf of herself and her deceased child, identified only as K.W., in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi on September 14. It names Pfizer Inc. and Global Blood Therapeutics Inc. as defendants.

Myers indicates her son died of Oxbryta-related vaso-inclusive crises that led to blood clots which traveled to his heart and lungs. He was only 8 years old.

Oxbryta Injury Risks

Oxbryta (voxelotor) was approved in 2019 as the first medication to address the root causes of sickle cell disease. Originally created by Global Blood Therapeutics, Oxbryta, and its creator, were later acquired by Pfizer.

The drug was promoted as being able to improve hemoglobin levels, help blood cells retain more oxygen and prevent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), which occur when red blood cells block blood flow, causing an inflammatory response that can result in chest, back and limb pain, as well as fever. 

However, instead of helping to prevent VOCs, the manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began receiving a large number of reports from Oxbryta users who suffered VOCs. This number was much higher than expected, resulting in an Oxbryta recall in September 2024.

Myers’ complaint joins other Oxbryta VOC crisis lawsuits filed in federal courts nationwide, each involving similar allegations that the drug worsened the risk of VOCs and other adverse side effects, causing severe, and sometimes fatal, injuries.

Oxbryta Vaso-Occlusive Crisis Allegations

According to Myers’ lawsuit, K.W. was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and prescribed Oxbryta in October 2022 at only 7 years old. He took the drug for several months before beginning to suffer abdominal pain, swelling and other health problems.

K.W.’s healthcare team determined he was suffering health complications likely caused by the drug and reduced his dosage, advising his mother to cut the child’s pills in half. Despite the reduced dosage, K.W. continued to suffer Oxbryta side effects, the lawsuit alleges.

Doctors had him stop taking the drug in March 2023. K.W., who was then 8 years old, died on September 19, 2023, due to blood clots in his heart and lungs.

“It was only after K.W.’s death that his mother, Mocha Myers, received a telephone call from a Pfizer representative that K.W. should cease taking Oxbryta, but, unfortunately, the advice from Pfizer was too late.”

– Mocha Myers et al. v. Pfizer Inc. et al.

A year after K.W.’s death, the drug was pulled from the market for the very reasons the lawsuit alleges killed the child. The lawsuit indicates Pfizer had plenty of real-world evidence of Oxbryta’s link to increased VOC risks, but decided not to inform patients, their families or the medical community.

Myers presents claims of defect in design, failure to warn, failure to conform with express or implied warranty, negligence and wrongful death. She seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

Oxbryta Lawsuits

The latest complaint adds to the mounting litigation over Oxbryta, as former users and families continue to pursue claims alleging the sickle cell disease drug caused serious and potentially life-threatening complications.

The first Oxbryta trial was expected to begin earlier this year, but Pfizer agreed to settle the lawsuit before the case reached a jury. The terms were not disclosed, and the agreement resolved only that individual claim.

At the same time, Pfizer and plaintiffs have been working toward a broader Oxbryta settlement that could resolve all or many of the remaining lawsuits. Meanwhile, Oxbryta lawyers continue to investigate claims for individuals who were prescribed the drug for sickle cell disease and later experienced serious complications, including:

• Vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs)
• Stroke
• Severe pain and swelling
• Death

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