Brown, LLC helps secure $7.5 million Texas whistleblower settlement with Tris Pharma

Brown, LLC announced a $7.5 million Texas settlement resolving whistleblower claims that Tris Pharma misrepresented the efficacy and onset of its ADHD drug Dyanavel XR. The deal closes a second Texas recovery tied to whistleblower Tarik Ahmed, bringing the two state matters to $49 million.

Why it matters: - The settlement adds another recovery for Texas Medicaid after allegations that marketing claims pushed a drug presentation that could affect prescribing and reimbursement decisions. - The case also extends a second Texas whistleblower matter tied to Tarik Ahmed, bringing the combined Texas recoveries to $49 million. - Because Medicaid is jointly funded by Texas and the federal government, part of the recovery will flow to the United States.

What happened: - Brown, LLC announced a $7.5 million settlement in State of Texas ex rel. Tarik Ahmed v. Tris Pharma, Inc. and Ketan Mehta in the 71st Judicial District Court of Harrison County, Texas. - The settlement resolves claims under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act. - The State alleged that Tris Pharma promoted Dyanavel XR, an ADHD drug approved for patients age 6 and older, using false or misleading claims about efficacy and speed of onset. - The alleged 30-minute-onset claim was presented to physicians, Texas Medicaid providers, and Texas Medicaid decision-makers.

The details: - The settlement agreement states that it is not an admission of facts, wrongdoing, or liability. - Tris Pharma and Ketan Mehta deny liability and the allegations of wrongdoing. - The settlement resolves the action in full. - Brown, LLC served as lead counsel for Tarik Ahmed and handled the case through discovery, expert development, depositions, mediation, and settlement. - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said pharmaceutical companies that distort the truth to sell their products “will face the consequences.” - Brown, LLC said it worked closely with the Texas Attorney General’s Healthcare Program Enforcement Division throughout the case. - The State team included Amy Snow Hilton, Paige L. Cheung, Nadia L. Burns, Vivian I. Egbu, Jonathan D. Bonilla, Jordan D. Underhill, Thomas Flynn Altmeyer, and Lauren Sibley.

Between the lines: - The settlement continues a broader enforcement push on pharmaceutical marketing claims tied to government health programs. - This is the second Texas recovery from Ahmed’s whistleblower work. - In December 2025, Brown, LLC announced a $41.5 million THFPA settlement with Pfizer Inc. and Tris Pharma over Quillivant XR in Cause No. 23-1031. - Brown, LLC said the two Texas matters together resolved for $49 million. - Brown, LLC also said its national whistleblower and complex litigation practice covers False Claims Act and qui tam matters involving Medicaid fraud, Medicare fraud, pharmaceutical fraud, government contracting fraud, and other government-program fraud. - The firm said Lex Machina ranked Brown, LLC second nationally by False Claims Act qui tam filing volume over a five-year period. - Brown, LLC said it has helped secure more than $1 billion in aggregate settlements and judgments, including matters involving Raytheon and Walgreens. - The firm said those settlements resolved allegations only and that the defendants did not admit liability.

What's next: - Texas will allocate the applicable federal share of the recovery to the United States. - Brown, LLC and the Texas Attorney General’s office may cite the case as support for future enforcement against drugmakers over marketing claims tied to Medicaid. - The settlement removes the litigation from the Harrison County court docket, but it does not create an admission of wrongdoing by Tris Pharma or Ketan Mehta.

The bottom line: - Texas has turned a whistleblower case over ADHD drug marketing into another multimillion-dollar recovery, even as Tris Pharma denies liability.