Develop Proprietary Galectin Inhibitors

Galectin Therapeutics uses its knowledge of galectin proteins to study the effects of our proprietary compounds in diseases with clinical needs. Our compounds act as galectin inhibitors, binding to galectin proteins and disrupting their function, which has a beneficial effect on the disease states.

Galectin Sciences: Image of proprietary compound drug (GR-MD-02) in development

Our drug candidate in development (GR-MD-02, or belapectin) is a new chemical entity generated from naturally occurring carbohydrate polymers as starting material using proprietary chemistry. Currently in development, belapectin, a new chemical entity, is a proprietary galactoarabino-rhamnogalacturonan polysaccharide polymer comprising galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and smaller amounts of other sugars. Structural studies have shown that belapectin binds to galectin-1 and galectin-3, though it has greater binding affinity to galectin-3 than to galectin-1. Belapectin targets extracellular galectins. Click here to view our pipeline.

Learn about our development program and key data for belapectin.

Read about our intellectual property protection for GR-MD-02.

Belapectin (GR-MD-02)

Currently in development, belapectin (GR-MD-02) is a new chemical entity and a proprietary galactoarabino-rhamnogalacturonan polysaccharide polymer comprising galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and smaller amounts of other sugars. Structural studies have shown that belapectin binds to galectin-1 (Miller 2009 Biochem J.pdf) and to galectin-3 (unpublished data), with greater binding affinity to galectin-3. Belapectin targets extracellular galectins.

Key features include:

  • The results of a Phase 2b clinical trial showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful effects in NASH cirrhosis patients without esophageal varices treated with belapectin (GR-MD-02)
  • Initiation of a Phase 3 clinical trial of belapectin (GR-MD-02) in NASH cirrhosis patients without esophageal varices
  • Positive results reported in an investigator-initiated Phase 1b clinical trial of belapectin (GR-MD-02) used in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in treating metastatic melanoma and head and neck cancer
  • Low toxicity potential because carbohydrates are metabolized to relatively harmless compounds unlike other drugs that have toxic metabolites
  • API inexpensive to manufacture; abundant natural starting material

Read about our intellectual property protection for belapectin (GR-MD-02).