A Stanford Medicine clinical study found that an experimental oral medicine called acebilustat eased several symptoms in people with lower-limb lymphedema, a condition that causes fluid to build up in the limbs.
Twenty-three volunteers took the medicine daily for a year while continuing their usual physical therapy and at-home care. On average, the affected legs lost about one liter in volume, and participants reported better quality of life.
The study was small and did not include a placebo group, so the results need careful follow-up. The drug has not been approved for lymphedema.
Researchers are analyzing a separate, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial in people with upper-limb lymphedema. If those findings are similar, the team hopes to move toward a larger international trial.
