# Depleting Circulating Galectin-3 with Therapeutic Apheresis: A NovelTreatment for Sepsis/AKI

> **NIH NIH R44** · ELIAZ THERAPEUTICS, INC. · 2023 · $990,810

## Abstract

Project Summary-Abstract
Sepsis and consequent acute kidney injury (AKI) are major public health concerns, with high mortality and
morbidity and increasing incidence. Despite efforts to develop new interventions, current therapeutic options are
limited in scope and effectiveness. Eliaz Therapeutics Inc. (ETI), based on substantial literature, successful initial
proof of concept in a porcine cutaneous inflammatory injury model, and recent extraordinary survival data in
sepsis-AKI in a rat model, in accordance to recent guidance from the FDA, is progressing toward safety and
human clinical trials to depletion of the endogenous galectin-3 (Gal-3) protein from septic patients’ blood using a
novel high-affinity immunoadsorption apheresis column. Gal-3 is a known vital driver of organ inflammation and
fibrosis in numerous acute and chronic disorders, with substantial amelioration shown in experimental inhibition
and Gal-3 -/- (genetic knockout) and Gal-3 inhibitors models. Gal-3, while essential for initial immune pathogen
recognition and immune activation in infections, becomes a driver of excessive and dysregulated cytokine
responses in sepsis development and subsequent organ damage. Previous preclinical models showed reduced
pathology and improved survival by removing or inhibiting Gal-3. We hypothesize that selectively depleting Gal-3
by apheresis will exert synergistic therapeutic effects on both sepsis and sepsis-related AKI. Our medical device
filter intervention, which attaches to presently used apheresis machines, has the potential to address the urgent
need for mortality and morbidity reduction, advance sepsis/AKI treatment options, and expand applications in
apheresis medicine. ETI is now ready to test the scale up to the commercial “XGal-3” prototype and its safety in
use in a swine pilot and treatment study and get on the road to human clinical studies and commercialization.
Aim 1: Fabricate and evaluate the prototype Gal-3 selective apheresis columns with safety testing toward a
commercialization pathway. Aim 2: Perform a porcine safety study to assess the potential for an unacceptable
adverse biological response resulting from contact of the extracorporeal apheresis column’s component materials
with blood. Aim 3: Develop the clinical and regulatory road map and clinical trial design to prepare for a human
GMP/GPL safety study.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10636905
- **Project number:** 5R44GM130227-03
- **Recipient organization:** ELIAZ THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Isaac Eliaz
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $990,810
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10636905

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10636905, Depleting Circulating Galectin-3 with Therapeutic Apheresis: A NovelTreatment for Sepsis/AKI (5R44GM130227-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10636905. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*