Eliaz Therapeutics Awarded $1.7 Million by NIH for XGAL3's Apheresis Large Animal Safety Study

SANTA ROSA, Calif., June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eliaz Therapeutics Inc (ETI), a therapeutic apheresis company, was awarded its second NIH grant, an SBIR phase 2 grant for $1.7M. ETI has developed a unique, patented medical device to remove Galectin-3 (Gal-3) from human blood. XGAL3® removes both bound and free Gal-3 from circulation, offering new and effective treatment options for life threatening common conditions where viable treatments are currently not available. The initial focus of ETI is on sepsis and sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (S-AKI). The award (2R44GM130227-02A1) will enable ETI to continue developing its XGAL3® device, establish its biocompatibility, and conduct a regulatory compliant large animal safety trial.

Despite extensive efforts to develop effective treatments, sepsis remains the leading cause of death in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Sepsis is often complicated by S-AKI. Sepsis and S-AKI are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, consuming considerable healthcare resources and costs both in resource-rich and resource-limited settings.

In a series of separate studies, Gal-3 was identified as a biomarker and therapeutic target for sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI), thus offering a novel approach to treating the two leading causes of ICU death. Gal-3 inhibition was shown to reduce inflammation and protect kidneys from the development of fibrosis. Gal-3 depletion by an extracorporeal apheresis treatment is hypothesized to have a combined therapeutic effect for sepsis and S-AKI. By attenuating the inflammatory response, it protects against immune dysregulation, organ dysfunction, kidney injury, and renal fibrosis.

"I am delighted that we have been selected to receive this NIH grant in recognition of the clinical benefit potential of removing Galectin-3 from the circulation. X-Gal3 offers a potential solution for addressing a significant unmet need in the treatment of sepsis and AKI, among other serious conditions," says Isaac Eliaz, MD, ETI's CEO and a well-known expert in the field of Galectin-3. Dr. Eliaz states, "With the successful completion of the grant aims, we hope to be able to proceed to clinical trials in the ICU setting."

Eliaz Therapeutics Inc., a privately held seed-stage medical device company, is a pioneer in the groundbreaking development of a patent-protected therapeutic apheresis device (XGAL3®), which effectively removes Galectin-3 from blood plasma and seamlessly integrates with existing apheresis machines. Apheresis is a well-established procedure that has been in use for decades. Therapeutic apheresis involves removing the patient's blood and separating from it the plasma. The plasma is then run through different filtration columns and unwanted compounds are removed, while the remaining blood components, including filtered plasma and blood cells, are reintroduced back into the patient's bloodstream.

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SOURCE Eliaz Therapeutics