Sling Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing the first and only late-stage oral small-molecule therapy for thyroid eye disease (TED), today announced the publication of new preclinical data in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Immunology, highlighting the differentiated mechanism of action of linsitinib and its ability to inhibit key cellular processes involved in the pathogenesis of TED. In addition, Sling announced an upcoming poster presentation at the 2026 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Annual Meeting, being held from November 4-7 in Philadelphia, PA. Linsitinib is an investigational, oral, small-molecule inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and is currently being evaluated in the pivotal Phase 3 ORBIT trial in adults with moderate to severe active TED.

“These findings provide important scientific insights into linsitinib’s differentiated mechanism of action and its potential to address the underlying drivers of TED,” said Ryan Zeidan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Sling Therapeutics. ” While IGF-1R is a validated therapeutic target in TED, we believe linsitinib’s ability to inhibit signaling from inside the cell may offer a differentiated approach to treating this complex disease. Together with the encouraging efficacy, safety and durability demonstrated in our clinical program to date, these findings further strengthen our confidence in linsitinib’s potential to provide patients with an effective, convenient oral treatment option as we advance our pivotal Phase 3 ORBIT trial.”

Key findings from the publication include:

  • Reduced production of key components involved in TED: In laboratory studies using human orbital fibroblasts, linsitinib significantly reduced IGF-1 stimulated production of hyaluronic acid and pro-collagen, which contribute to tissue swelling and remodeling in TED.
  • Inhibited orbital fibroblast proliferation: Linsitinib reduced the proliferation of orbital fibroblasts derived from patients with TED by up to 81% under the experimental conditions, demonstrating its ability to inhibit cellular processes implicated in TED.
  • Demonstrated distinct cellular effects compared with teprotumumab: In laboratory studies, using IGF-1R expressing cells, linsitinib demonstrated greater inhibition of cell proliferation than teprotumumab at several tested concentrations. Linsitinib also increased markers of programmed cell death (apoptosis), an effect not observed with teprotumumab under the tested conditions.

The full publication, titled “The dual IGF-1R/IR blocker, Linsitinib, modulates human orbital fibroblast activity and proliferation,” is available in Frontiers in Immunology at https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1920590.

Poster Presentation at 2026 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Annual Meeting

Title: A Small Molecule IGF-1R/IR Inhibitor Modulates Target Cell Activity and Proliferation
Poster Number: P182
Session: Poster Session II
Topic: Autoimmunity
Date and Time: Thursday, November 5, 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. ET
Presenter: George J. Kahaly, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology/Metabolism and Chief Physician of the Endocrine Outpatient Clinic at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Medical Center, Mainz, Germany.

About Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) is a serious, progressive, and vision-threatening rare autoimmune disease that is estimated to affect more than 200,000 people in the U.S. TED often occurs in people living with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism and is caused by dysfunction in the IGF-1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor) signaling pathway, which contributes to inflammation and tissue expansion behind the eyes. This can cause eye bulging (proptosis), redness, swelling, pain, double vision and, in severe cases, vision loss. TED can lead to permanent damage and significantly impact patients’ quality of life. Current treatment options include invasive surgical procedures and infusion-based IGF-1R antibody therapies, which can be associated with adverse events such as hearing impairment, hyperglycemia and menstrual changes.

About Linsitinib

Linsitinib is an investigational, oral, small-molecule inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), a validated therapeutic target for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). Linsitinib works by blocking IGF-1R signaling from inside the cell, a differentiated approach to targeting a key driver of inflammation and tissue expansion in TED. Unlike currently approved antibody-based therapies, linsitinib offers the potential for convenient oral administration without the need for infusions. Linsitinib has an established clinical safety database, having been evaluated in more than 900 patients across 15 clinical trials in multiple diseases, and has received Fast Track designation for TED from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Linsitinib is currently being evaluated in the pivotal Phase 3 ORBIT trial in adults with moderate to severe active TED. The ORBIT trial builds upon Sling’s previously completed Phase 2b/3 LIDS trial, which met its primary endpoint of proptosis reduction in patients with moderate-to-severe TED and exhibited a differentiated safety profile, particularly in IGF-1R areas of interest such as hearing impairment, glycemic changes, and menstrual cycle changes.

About Sling Therapeutics

Sling Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing linsitinib, a potentially first-in-class oral small-molecule therapy for thyroid eye disease (TED). Linsitinib is the first and only oral small-molecule IGF-1R inhibitor in Phase 3 clinical development and is designed to provide patients with an effective, convenient treatment option while reducing the burden of TED treatment on patients, physicians and healthcare systems. For more information, visit www.slingtx.com.

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