Alliance: Celltaxis

Lyphedema is a common, progressive disease that associated with chronic inflammation and skin thickening and leads to recurrent infections that result in hospitalizations. There is no current, definitive cure.

Stanley Rockson and team recently demonstrated the central role of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), chemoattractant and proinflammatory agent,  in the pathogenesis and maintenance of lymphedema. Prior studies with acebilustat (CTX-4430), a potent inhibitor of LTB4. Prior human studies have established the safety of this experimental medicine up to a 100 mg daily dose and have demonstrated reduction in sputum white blood cell counts in cystic fibrosis patients.

With support from the IMA and from Celltaxis, Rockson and team are conducting an open label study designed to evaluate the effect of acebilustat on 70 adult patients with unilateral upper extremity lymphedema.