# A First-in-Class Antibody Therapeutic for Treatment of Acromegaly

> **NIH NIH R43** · ELIXERA, INC. · 2020 · $284,100

## Abstract

Project Summary: Acromegaly is an endocrine disorder caused by a benign pituitary tumor that affects
approximately 25,000 adults in the US. Left untreated, the average life expectancy is 10 years from diagnosis. It
is characterized by excess skeletal growth, soft-tissue enlargement, and permanent disfigurement, accompanied
by metabolic dysfunction resulting from excess growth hormone secreted by the tumor. The disease is associated
with 2- to 3-fold increased mortality and serious health complications and comorbidities. These include
cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for approximately 50% of acromegalic deaths, respiratory disorders,
which represent the second leading cause of death, and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and impaired
lipid metabolism that contribute to greater cardiovascular risk and mortality. The broad consensus is that
effective treatment is achieved by strict hormone control, demonstrated by the beneficial effects on comorbidities
and mortality. When surgery either fails to completely remove the tumor or is not an option, medical therapy is
required for long-term hormone control. However, control is achieved in only half of patients by the existing
therapies. There is a clear unmet medical need for a therapy that achieves long-term hormone control
consistently across the acromegaly patient population. Elixera’s goal is to develop a novel therapeutic as a first-
in-class treatment of acromegaly that fulfills this unmet medical need. The aim of the Phase 1 grant to identify
and characterize new product leads. The aim of the Phase 2 grant is to have a therapeutic candidate ready for
manufacture for an IND application with the FDA that will permit clinical trial testing in acromegaly patients in
the US.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10082375
- **Project number:** 1R43DK126579-01
- **Recipient organization:** ELIXERA, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** James Zanghi
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $284,100
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10082375

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10082375, A First-in-Class Antibody Therapeutic for Treatment of Acromegaly (1R43DK126579-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10082375. Licensed CC0.

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