Former ExThera Exec Charged With Covering Up Patient Deaths

The medical device company lured cancer patients to Antigua with false promises of a cure.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Federal prosecutors have charged Sanja Ilic, the former chief regulatory officer of medical device company ExThera, with concealing the deaths of two cancer patients who were treated with ExThera's blood filter in Antigua. ExThera has agreed to pay a $750,000 criminal penalty and forfeit $5.7 million for defrauding and misleading the FDA by failing to report the deaths.

Why it matters

This case highlights the dangers of unproven medical treatments and the importance of transparency and accountability in the healthcare industry. The charges against ExThera and its former executive raise concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable patients and the need for stronger oversight and regulation of experimental medical devices.

The details

According to prosecutors, ExThera lured two dozen late-stage cancer patients to Antigua with promises that its blood filter, which was only conditionally approved by the FDA for COVID-19 treatment, could cure their cancer. Patients were charged $45,000 per treatment session. Two patients, David Hudlow and Kyle Chupp, died one day apart in April 2024 shortly after returning home from the treatments. ExThera failed to report these deaths to the FDA.

  • In April 2024, David Hudlow and Kyle Chupp died one day apart shortly after receiving ExThera's blood filter treatments in Antigua.
  • On March 5, 2026, federal prosecutors charged ExThera's former chief regulatory officer, Sanja Ilic, with concealing the patient deaths from the government.

The players

Sanja Ilic

The former chief regulatory officer of ExThera who has been charged with concealing the deaths of two cancer patients from the government.

ExThera

A California medical device manufacturer that lured cancer patients to Antigua with false promises that its blood filter could cure them.

David Hudlow

A 55-year-old cancer patient from Panama City, Florida who died after receiving ExThera's blood filter treatment in Antigua.

Kyle Chupp

A 39-year-old cancer patient from Orillia, Ontario who died after receiving ExThera's blood filter treatment in Antigua.

Alan Quasha

An American billionaire who invested in ExThera through his private equity firm Quadrant Management and created a Caribbean distributor to administer the blood filter treatments in Antigua.

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What they’re saying

“We must hold accountable those who would exploit vulnerable patients and undermine the integrity of the medical device approval process.”

— Rachael Rollins, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts (The New York Times)

What’s next

The investigation into ExThera's actions is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed against other individuals involved.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for stronger oversight and regulation of experimental medical devices, as well as the importance of transparency and accountability in the healthcare industry to protect vulnerable patients from exploitation and unproven treatments.