What We Do

Oxeia is developing treatments for mild traumatic brain injury, injuries that otherwise can lead to a life-time of debilitating symptoms and other neurologic consequences.

Our aspiration at Oxeia is to bring relief to concussion (mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI) sufferers.   An understudied, often misunderstood condition, concussions can make life unbearable for people of all ages, from all walks of life.  Our team of doctors, scientists, biotech leaders, athletes and other advocates want to change how concussions are perceived and treated.  Our passion is bringing to market a game-changing therapeutic to treat concussion victims. 

More than “Getting Your Bell Rung,” concussions are a serious medical condition

OXE103 Shows Promise in the Treatment of Concussions

Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals is developing OXE103, synthetic human ghrelin, to treat concussions/mTBI.  OXE103 is synthetic human ghrelin, an endogenous hormone.  OXE103 freely crosses the blood-brain-barrier and is now being tested in humans to potentially treat concussions by addressing underlying neuro-metabolic dysfunction and axonal injury.   OXE103 uniquely targets the hippocampus region of the brain, an area important for cognition and memory.

Treatment with OXE103 has been shown in numerous animal and laboratory studies to restore normal energy metabolism, increase appetite, and reduce the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species that form in low energy states.

Oxeia Completes Phase 2a Testing of OXE103 in Patients with Concussion

Promising new compounds and treatments, like OXE103 must pass though several stages of testing to ensure it is both safe and effective for use. These studies are important in advancing treatment as OXE103 may directly address the underlying pathology of concussion. To date, there are few other clinical studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry aimed at treating these patients.

Oxeia successfully completed its proof-of-concept pilot study at Kansas University Medical Center in the fall of 2022. The data were first presented by Dr. Michael Rippee, associate professor of neurology at Kansas University Medical Center and principal investigator for the study, at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s (ACRM) annual conference on October 31, 2023 in Atlanta.

Oxeia’s Phase 2a study for OXE-103 enrolled subjects within 28-days of injury who were highly symptomatic at screening. The goal of the study was to reduce symptom burden with OXE-103 treatment. Measures of cognition and balance were also tracked to provide an objective assessment of recovery. The study was designed in collaboration with leading neuro-trauma and concussion experts.

Twenty-one patients were enrolled in the Phase 2a study.  Participants were given the choice of receiving OXE103 or the standard of care. Nineteen completed the study. Thirteen received OXE103 and 6 received standard of care only.  Those receiving OXE103 were given treatment twice a day for 14 days.  They received assessments on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 21 and 44. A robust treatment effect was observed across all study endpoints. The endpoints were symptom resolution (severity and duration) of cognition, memory, quality of life improvement and balance. The OXE103 responder rate was 85% vs. a baseline of 33%.

The Phase 2b study will be randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with participants that continue to have persistent concussion symptoms within 28 days of injury.

For more information, please review our Fact Sheet (PDF)