Research Led by LE&RN Co-Founder Dr. Stanley G. Rockson Finds First Clinical Evidence of a Potential Oral Therapy for Chronic Lymphedema
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 8, 2026 — A newly published study offers encouraging evidence that an oral medication could one day provide a new treatment option for millions of people living with lymphedema, a chronic disease for which there are currently no approved pharmacological treatments.
The peer-reviewed study, published in Scientific Reports, found that treatment with the experimental drug acebilustat was associated with significant improvements across multiple measures of lymphedema severity, including limb volume, skin thickness, tissue composition and patient-reported quality of life.
The research was led by Stanley G. Rockson, MD, the Allan and Tina Neill Professor of Lymphatic Research and Medicine at Stanford University and Co-Founder of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN).
“The lymphedema community has been searching for effective drug therapies for decades. This research represents an important step forward for millions of people who rely on lifelong physical management of their disease,” said Dr. Rockson. “While more research is needed, these findings offer real optimism about the future of lymphedema treatment.”
“The publication of these clinical data represents an important milestone for Celltaxis and provides further evidence that the pathogenetic mechanisms that drive lymphatic dysfunction can be therapeutically targeted. We believe this approach has the potential to transform the treatment paradigm for lymphedema patients who today are largely limited to lifelong symptom management,” said Eileen Heffernan, co-founder and CEO of Celltaxis, which is developing the oral therapy evaluated in the study.
“People living with lymphedema have waited far too long for treatments that go beyond managing the symptoms of their disease,” said William Repicci, president and CEO of LE&RN. “This study demonstrates what becomes possible when lymphatic research receives the scientific focus it deserves.”
Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system is unable to adequately drain lymph fluid, leading to chronic swelling and changes in affected tissues. The disease affects an estimated 250 million people worldwide. Despite its prevalence and significant impact on quality of life, there is currently no approved medication to treat lymphedema.
The study evaluated acebilustat, an oral medication that targets an inflammatory pathway associated with lymphedema. Researchers found significant reductions in affected limb volume and skin thickness, along with favorable changes in tissue architecture and fluid accumulation and improvements in quality of life. The findings provide the first clinical evidence supporting acebilustat as a potential oral therapy for chronic lymphedema. While additional research is needed to confirm the results, a randomized, placebo controlled Phase 2 study has also been conducted and is currently being analyzed.
The study, “Therapeutic selective leukotriene B4 antagonism for human lymphedema,” was conducted at Stanford Medicine and published in Scientific Reports. Read the full study and findings here.
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LE&RN’s mission is to fight lymphatic and related diseases through education, research, and advocacy. We seek to accelerate the prevention, treatments, and cures for lymphedema, lipedema, lymphatic anomalies, and the continuum of lymphatic diseases.