Madrigal Ex-Exec Alleges Safety Coverup, Retaliation — SkimNews
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- Michael Charlton filed suit on Oct. 9 in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois, accusing Madrigal Pharmaceuticals of retaliation under federal whistleblower-protection statutes and seeking reinstatement or monetary damages.
- Madrigal Pharmaceuticals employed Charlton, a physician, as senior vice president and head of clinical development from October 2024 until January 2026.
- Charlton alleges he was forced to resign after raising internal concerns about the safety of Madrigal's approved medication for patients with the liver disease MASH.
- Madrigal allegedly punished Charlton for executing his mandate to safeguard the safety, scientific integrity and accuracy of the clinical trials and disclosures supporting its flagship drug.
- Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' flagship MASH medication is already approved for patients, so the disputed safety concerns attach to an approved product rather than a candidate still in trials.
Why it matters: For MASH patients and prescribers, the allegations attach to Madrigal's flagship drug — approved, not an experimental candidate — and to the trial data and disclosures behind it. For Madrigal, the outcome turns on the account of the clinical-development chief who ran the program from October 2024 to January 2026, with reinstatement or monetary damages sought.
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