Elion Therapeutics to Present Turletricin Clinical Data at IDWeek 2026

- Favorable safety profile exhibited across three Phase 1 studies and Phase 2 cryptococcal meningitis study 

- Turletricin demonstrated clinically meaningful early fungicidal activity in Phase 2 HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis study

BOSTON, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elion Therapeutics, a biotechnology company dedicated to expanding the armamentarium of safe and effective antifungal medicines to support people with impaired immune defenses, today announced that the company and its collaborators will present new turletricin clinical data at Infectious Disease Week (IDWeek) 2026, taking place October 21–24 in Washington, D.C. Turletricin (EL219), a next-generation polyene antifungal, is currently being evaluated in Phase 2 studies as Early Antifungal Therapy (EAT) for suspected or confirmed invasive mould infections, and for cryptococcal meningitis.

Current standard-of-care systemic polyene antifungals, such as amphotericin B, offer broad-spectrum activity with low rates of resistance, but their use is limited by nephrotoxicity, electrolyte wasting, anemia, and inflammatory infusion-related reactions. Turletricin has been rationally designed to retain the efficacy of existing polyene antifungals, without severe toxicities.

“Our IDWeek presentations summarize turletricin’s broad-spectrum antifungal activity, differentiated safety profile, and potential to address the serious limitations of today’s antifungals,” said Dr. Kieren Marr, CEO of Elion Therapeutics. “Turletricin, a structural derivative of amphotericin B, has demonstrated unique safety in almost 200 people who have received the drug in Phase 1 and 2 studies to date, with ‘polyene-like’ activity established for cryptococcal meningitis. Removing the typical polyene toxicities while retaining polyene activity may enable turletricin to define a new era in antifungal therapy. This comes at a time when broad, safe antifungal drugs are desperately needed to support our growing population of medically immunosuppressed people.”

Turletricin demonstrated a favorable safety profile across three Phase 1 studies, whose combined data are being presented at IDWeek (poster P-177). The studies include a single-ascending-dose (SAD) study, a multiple-ascending-dose (MAD) study, and a renal impairment (RI) study. Turletricin was well tolerated in healthy adult participants at a single dose or multiple doses, and in adult participants with moderate or severe RI. There were no safety concerns or signs of worsening RI. Nonclinical and clinical evidence to date indicates that administration of turletricin does not result in renal toxicity, unlike currently approved polyenes.

In the Phase 2 study in people with HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis (NCT06666322), turletricin met the predefined efficacy threshold for early antifungal activity, demonstrating clinically meaningful cerebrospinal fluid fungal clearance. Turletricin was well-tolerated with no nephrotoxicity or other adverse events commonly associated with polyenes.

“Developing the next generation of polyene antifungals is an opportunity to address a longstanding challenge: delivering potent antifungal treatment with less toxicity,” said David R. Boulware, M.D., MPH, Professor of Infectious Disease & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, and chief investigator in the Phase 2 cryptococcal meningitis study. “This Phase 2 trial of turletricin in cryptococcal meningitis is an important step toward understanding whether we can achieve that goal for patients with life-threatening fungal infections.”

IDWeek 2026 Presentations

Clinical Pipeline Presentation

• Presentation Title: Turletricin (EL219/SF001), a novel, once weekly, non-nephrotoxic polyene antifungal
• Presenter: Taylor Sandison, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer, Elion Therapeutics
• Session: New Antimicrobials in the Pipeline
• Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
• Time: 8:00–9:00 a.m. ET
• Location: Room 206
  
  

Renal Safety Poster Presentation

• Poster Title: Safety and pharmacokinetics of turletricin (EL219) in Phase 1 clinical trials
• Poster Number: P-177
• Presenter: Taylor Sandison, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer, Elion Therapeutics
• Session: New Drug Development
• Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
• Time: 12:15–1:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Poster Hall B–C
  
  

Cryptococcal Meningitis Poster Presentation

• Poster Title: Turletricin: Next-generation Polyene Antifungal Phase 2 Clinical Trial for HIV-related Cryptococcal Meningitis
• Poster Number: P-1082
• Presenter: Dr. Muzoora K. Conrad, MBChB, MMED MED (MUST), ATCR (UCSF), Sen. Lecturer and Research Fellow, Internal Medicine, Mbarara University
• Session: HIV: Complications and Coinfections
• Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
• Time: 12:15–1:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Poster Hall B–C
  
  

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 TURLETRICIN (EL219)
Turletricin is a next-generation systemic polyene antifungal, rationally designed to retain the broad-spectrum power of polyenes, without their severe toxicities. Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers and in people with moderate and severe renal insufficiency have shown turletricin to be well-tolerated with no renal toxicities. Phase 2 clinical trials of turletricin in adult participants with suspected and confirmed invasive mould infections (NCT07215273) and cryptococcal meningitis (NCT06666322) are ongoing. Turletricin has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations for early antifungal therapy and treatment of invasive aspergillosis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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