A former senior executive at Madrigal Pharmaceuticals has sued the company in federal court, alleging he was forced out after warning top leaders about liver-injury data tied to Rezdiffra, the first FDA-approved drug for the liver disease MASH. Michael Charlton, a physician who led clinical development from October 2024 until January 2026, filed the retaliation lawsuit on Oct. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, STAT reported.
Madrigal vigorously denies the accusations and defends the drug's safety, according to STAT. None of the claims has been tested in court, and no regulatory action tied to them has been announced.
The dispute reaches well beyond one executive. More than 55,850 patients were taking Rezdiffra as of Sept. 30, the company said in its third-quarter financial results, and many of them rely on the daily pill to treat a progressive liver disease.
The lawsuit says Charlton's job was to safeguard the safety, scientific integrity, and accuracy of the trials and disclosures behind Madrigal's flagship drug. "He did exactly that. Madrigal punished him for it," the complaint alleges, as quoted by STAT. He is seeking reinstatement or money damages under federal whistleblower-protection law.
Charlton is a liver specialist with more than 30 years of leadership experience in hepatology and liver transplantation, according to Madrigal's own 2024 announcement of his hiring. That background is one reason...
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