The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of Xeris Biopharma’s drug Recorlev (levoketoconazole) for the treatment of endogenous hypercortisolemia in adults with Cushing’s syndrome. Endogenous Cushing’s syndrome is a rare, but serious and potentially fatal endocrine disease caused by chronic elevated levels of the hormone cortisol, often being the result of a benign tumor in the pituitary gland. Cortisol is essential to the body’s response to stress, playing an important role in regulating blood pressure, metabolism, inflammation, weight, and bone health. The disease is most present among adults aged 30–50, affecting women more often than men. Recorlev works as a cortisol synthesis inhibitor that can be used as an alternative to surgery. A surgical procedure to remove the tumor of the pituitary gland is the most common treatment for Cushing’s syndrome. The company behind this development, Xeris Biopharma, creates therapies for endocrinological, gastrointestinal, and neurological medical conditions.
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