- Phase 2-Ready EL777 Complements Company’s Turletricin Program Focused on Early Antifungal Treatment
- Prophylaxis Is Critical for Cancer and Transplant Patients at High Risk of Invasive Fungal Infections
BOSTON, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elion Therapeutics announced today that it has obtained an exclusive global license to a novel inhaled polyene antifungal to prevent fungal infections in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies. Engineered to keep sustained polyene levels retained in the lungs, EL777 is designed to destroy inhaled fungal spores in the airway before they can germinate, spread, and invade the body.
"Innovative immunosuppressive treatments for cancer, immune diseases, and organ transplants have saved many lives, but they have also put highly vulnerable patients at greater risk of life-threatening infections," said Dr. Kieren Marr, CEO of Elion Therapeutics. "Preventing invasive fungal infections before they take hold remains a major unmet need. EL777 is designed to stop infection in the lungs, where it most often begins, and turletricin, our next-generation systemic antifungal, is designed to treat infections that have already spread. Together they give Elion a comprehensive approach to protecting cancer and transplant patients from invasive fungal disease."
ABOUT INVASIVE FUNGAL INFECTIONS (IFIs)
Fungal infections claim 3.8 million lives worldwide each year. IFIs typically occur in people with weakened immune systems, including those receiving immune-suppressive therapy for cancer or organ transplants and those with HIV/AIDS, or severe lung disease. More than 1 in 20 U.S. adults are immunosuppressed, more than double the rate reported in 2013.
Current antifungals are limited by severe toxicities, variable activity and resistance, and drug interactions. Meanwhile, climate change, rising fungal drug resistance and new immunosuppressive therapies are driving a surge in IFIs, making new treatment options a global health imperative.
ABOUT EL777
EL777 consists of aerodynamically engineered polyene nanoparticles delivered directly to the lungs through a purpose-built dry powder inhaler. It is designed to distribute throughout the lung epithelium while keeping systemic exposure to a minimum, which makes it ideally suited to preventing pulmonary fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. In Phase 1 single- and multiple-ascending dose (SAD and MAD) studies, plasma concentrations were negligible and there was no evidence of polyene related toxicities.
ABOUT ELION THERAPEUTICS
Elion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on supporting the growing population of immunocompromised patients who need safe, effective treatments for infection. Drawing on deep expertise, Elion is committed to developing therapies to serve them today and in the years ahead. The company is named for Gertrude Elion, the Nobel Prize–winning chemist who pioneered rational drug design. Elion Therapeutics is based in Boston, MA, and is backed by $82M in Series B financing from Deerfield, AMRAF, and UI Ventures.
For more information, please visit www.eliontx.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Armand Girard at agirard@eliontx.com
