Drug Database
EL

elastase (elastase / Elaszym)

✓ Approved

Eisai Co., Ltd. · therapeutic agent

What is elastase?

elastase is a therapeutic agent developed by Eisai Co., Ltd.. It is approved for therapeutic indications.

Drug Profile

Brand Nameselastase, Elaszym
CompanyEisai Co., Ltd.
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Eisai Co., Ltd.

Therapeutic Indications

elastase is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Vascular disordersArteriosclerosis✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedDiabetes research and clinical practice2026-09-19

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is not associated with a clinically relevant exocrine pancreatic phenotype: A prospective multimodal assessor-blinded case-control study.

Cigarran Beatriz B, Iglesias-Garcia Julio J, Dominguez-Novoa Yessica Y, Larino-Noia Jose J et al.

Exocrine pancreatic abnormalities have been reported in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but their clinical relevance remains uncertain. We assessed whether T2DM is associated with a clinically meaningful exocrine pancreatic phenotype. Adults undergoing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for non-pancreatic indications were prospectively enrolled. Patients with known or suspected pancreatic disease were excluded. Non-diabetic controls were frequency-matched to patients with T2DM by sex and age. EUS abnormalities, pancreatic body diameter, elastography, faecal elastase-1 (FE-1), symptoms, GIQLI, PEI-Q and nutritional markers were compared using adjusted models. EUS was performed by endosonographers blinded to diabetes status. We analysed 57 T2DM patients and 53 controls. EUS abnormalities were similar between groups (2.16 ± 1.97 vs 1.77 ± 2.02; p = 0.186), including ≥ 5 abnormalities (15.8% vs 13.2%; p = 0.701). Pancreatic body diameter, mean strain ratio, FE-1, GIQLI, PEI-Q and nutritional markers were comparable. Low FE-1 < 200 µg/g was not more frequent in T2DM (10.9% vs 18.0%). Early satiety and diarrhoea were more frequent in T2DM. In this selected EUS-referred population without known or suspected pancreatic disease, T2DM was not associated with clinically relevant exocrine dysfunction, pancreatic atrophy or a coherent chronic pancreatitis-like EUS phenotype. These findings support phenotype-based pancreatic function testing in T2DM.

PMID 42762921
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PubMedCurrent opinion in pharmacology2026-09-19

Mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) dynamic balance: Dual-axis regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic prospects for acute lung injury repair.

Yuan Yi Y, Lai Yuting Y, Ruan Ling L, Qiu Zhiru Z et al.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), are common critical illnesses, with few effective therapies targeting their core pathological mechanisms. Current research confirms that mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play important roles in the occurrence and progression of ALI. Mitochondrial metabolic abnormalities can increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and promote mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) liberation, both of which may participate in the initiation and amplification of NETs. Meanwhile, neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) components, such as neutrophil elastase (NE) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), may further disturb mitochondrial homeostasis in pulmonary structural cells, thereby aggravating inflammatory responses and tissue injury. Increasing evidence suggests bidirectional interactions between mitochondrial abnormalities and excessive NET formation, although the NET-to-mitochondrial arm remains less directly established in ALI. Based on this understanding, recent studies have begun to focus on therapeutic strategies that simultaneously regulate mitochondrial metabolic status and NET formation. For example, improving mitochondrial function or regulating metabolic pathways to reduce excessive NET formation, and directly clearing or inhibiting NETs through deoxyribonuclease (DNase) or peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) inhibitors, have shown certain potential in animal models. However, related clinical evidence remains limited, and treatment timing and safety issues require further clarification. This review summarizes recent progress in mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming and dynamic changes in NETs in ALI, with emphasis on the potential connections between these two processes and their therapeutic significance, providing a reference for future mechanistic research and clinical translation.

PMID 42762810
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PubMedBioorganic chemistry2026-09-18

A dual-modal optical probe for photoacoustic and urine detection of NE activity in atherosclerosis and diabetic complications.

Huang Li L, Shang Jinhui J, Ma Yuan Y, Xie Yanqing Y

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, and neutrophil elastase (NE) has emerged as a key mediator of plaque inflammation and destabilization. In this study, an NE-activatable hemicyanine-based optical probe (NP) was designed and synthesized. Upon specific cleavage by NE, significant activation of absorption, fluorescence, and photoacoustic signals was achieved. In vitro experiments confirmed excellent NE responsiveness, high selectivity, and favorable stability. In vivo studies demonstrated dual hepatic and renal metabolic pathways with good biosafety. The application potential of NP was investigated in three mouse models: healthy controls, atherosclerotic (AS) mice fed a high-fat diet, and AS mice with concurrent diabetes (AS+DM) induced by low-dose streptozotocin. Using photoacoustic imaging, NP sensitively detected increased NE activity within aortic plaques and renal tissues, with the AS+DM group exhibiting the highest signal enhancement. Urine fluorescence analysis further validated the non-invasive diagnostic potential. Collectively, NP represents a promising optical tool for the assessment of plaque inflammation and atherosclerotic disease burden.

PMID 42759395
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PubMedNatural product research2026-09-17

LC-MS analysis, In-vitro & in-silico antioxidant potential and cosmeceutical application of Crocus sativus (saffron).

Zafar Maha Gul MG, Abbas Mazhar M, Zafar Kinza K, Haider Waqas W et al.

The skin, a prominent organ undergoing noticeable changes over time, serves as a model for unravelling ageing complexities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to intrinsic ageing, emphasising the need for interventions targeting skin health. This research highlights the Crocus sativus antioxidant properties and its cosmeceutical application on skin ageing, suggesting its efficacy in skin protection from ROS-induced damage. Eight phytochemicals were found useful for skin health because of strong binding score, low Kp value (skin permeability), potent antioxidant and anti-ageing properties, and great potential as dermatocosmetic products. Among these 8 phytochemicals, crocetin has a high binding score with tyrosinase, while fucosterol has shown considerable binding score with two proteins tyrosinase and elastase which play an important role in skin health. By applying molecular dynamics analysis, a highly docked complex was simulated. These findings underscore the promising role of saffron-derived compounds in skincare and cosmetic products through in vitro and in silico analysis.

PMID 42752263
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PubMedImmunological investigations2026-09-17

Attenuation of Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury Associated with Cinnamaldehyde.

Cao Nian N, Dai Yue Y, Feng Juan J, Xu Xinyun X et al.

Excessive neutrophil activation and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation play critical roles in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI). Cinnamaldehyde, a major bioactive component of cinnamon, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects; however, its impact on NET formation in ALI remains unclear. A lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI rat model and a PMA-stimulated primary neutrophil model were employed to evaluate the effects of cinnamaldehyde in vivo and in vitro. Lung injury severity, pulmonary edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, cytokine production, and NET-associated markers were assessed using histopathology, wet-to-dry ratio analysis, BALF examination, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting. Cinnamaldehyde significantly alleviated LPS-induced lung injury, as evidenced by reduced lung wet-to-dry ratios and improved histopathological scores compared with the LPS group (p < .001). Treatment with cinnamaldehyde markedly decreased inflammatory cell and neutrophil infiltration in BALF and suppressed TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 levels (p < .05-0.001). Furthermore, cinnamaldehyde significantly inhibited NET formation in lung tissues, as indicated by reduced levels of myeloperoxidase, cell-free DNA, citrullinated histone H3, and neutrophil elastase (p < .001). In vitro, cinnamaldehyde directly suppressed PMA-induced NET release from primary neutrophils without affecting cell viability (p < .001). These findings demonstrate that cinnamaldehyde protects against LPS-induced acute lung injury by suppressing excessive NET formation, highlighting NET inhibition as a key mechanism underlying its pulmonary protective effects.

PMID 42751743
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PubMedBMC pediatrics2026-09-17

Pancreatic steatosis is associated with exocrine pancreatic dysfunction in children with MASLD: a prospective cross-sectional study.

Daldaban Sarıca Buket B, Gümüş Ümmügülsüm Özgül ÜÖ, Kara Leyla L, Gök Ebru E et al.

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between pancreatic steatosis and fecal elastase (FE) levels in children with hepatic steatosis, compare clinical, metabolic, and imaging findings according to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) status, and determine whether this relationship persists within children with MASLD. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Pediatric Endocrinology Departments of Kayseri City Hospital. Participants were classified according to the presence of MASLD. Clinical characteristics, anthropometric measurements, metabolic parameters, ultrasonographic findings, and FE levels were compared between groups. FE levels were categorized as normal (> 200 µg/g), low (100-200 µg/g), and severely low (< 100 µg/g). For binary analyses, low FE was defined as ≤ 200 µg/g. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with low FE levels and high-grade pancreatic steatosis. Analyses were also performed within the MASLD group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to assess the discriminatory performance of clinical, metabolic, and imaging-based parameters. A total of 163 children were included; 92 were classified as having MASLD and 71 were classified as non-MASLD. Pancreatic steatosis was significantly more frequent in the MASLD group than in the non-MASLD group (93.5% vs. 40.8%), and low FE levels were also more prevalent (59.8% vs. 15.5%; p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis of the overall cohort, pancreatic steatosis grade (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.20-3.23, p = 0.007) and waist circumference (WC) ≥95th percentile (OR: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.24-8.87, p = 0.017) were independently associated with low FE levels. Within the MASLD group, pancreatic steatosis grade was significantly associated with low FE levels. Pancreatic steatosis grade showed the highest discriminatory performance for low FE levels among the evaluated parameters (AUC = 0.76). Pancreatic steatosis was more frequent in children with MASLD, and its severity was associated with low FE levels both in the overall cohort and within the MASLD group. Imaging-based pancreatic findings showed moderate discriminatory performance for low FE levels but should not be interpreted as validated diagnostic thresholds. Pancreatic steatosis may represent a clinically relevant feature of pediatric MASLD in relation to possible subclinical alterations in exocrine pancreatic function.

PMID 42750024
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