On December 23, 2024, Susman Godfrey LLP and Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff, LLP filed an antitrust lawsuit against Align Technology, Inc., the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California, alleges a multi-year coordinated and illegal conspiracy to eliminate SmileDirectClub as a market competitor.
The complaint details allegations that Align, after failing to acquire SmileDirectClub and being forced to divest its stake, pivoted to a strategy to destroy its competitor. This allegedly involved colluding with the ADA and AAO to spread false claims about SmileDirectClub's safety and efficacy, filing baseless complaints with regulatory bodies, and interfering with third-party relationships.
The lawsuit claims these actions were a calculated effort to stifle competition and innovation in orthodontic care, leading to fewer choices and higher costs for consumers. The plaintiff, CDS Litigation, LLC, is pursuing litigation claims held by SmileDirectClub against the defendants.
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