Where thyroid eye disease treatment is heading

Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune condition, usually linked to Graves' disease, in which tissue behind the eyes swells, causing bulging eyes, double vision, pain and sometimes vision loss. About 16 in 100,000 women and 3 in 100,000 men develop it each year. Steroids and surgery were the mainstays until teprotumumab, an IGF-1R antibody, was approved in 2020. A second, shorter-course antibody was approved in 2026, and injections and pills that work the same way are in phase 3.

• 46studies open or running
• 16phase 3 trials
• 450papers published this year
• 6NIH-funded projects

1. Now

   Nov 2026

   A second IGF-1R antibody approvedHappened 70% proptosis responders

   Veligrotug: 70% had less eye bulging vs 5% on placebo after 5 infusions; FDA approved June 2026.

   70%: proptosis responders at week 15, vs 5% with placebo.

   • THRIVE trial (veligrotug)

   Teprotumumab works and lastsHappened 4.18 times more responses

   Pooled trials: 4.18 times more proptosis responses than placebo; 67.9% still responding at 72 weeks.

   4.18: times more likely to have a proptosis response than with placebo.

   • Teprotumumab meta-analysis
   • Teprotumumab long-term follow-up

2. 6 months

   by May 2027

   Under-the-skin injectionsLikely

   Viridian's REVEAL-1 and REVEAL-2 trials of subcutaneous elegrobart (active and chronic TED) finished in early 2026; results are expected.

   • REVEAL-1
   • REVEAL-2

   Subcutaneous teprotumumabPossible

   Amgen's trial of teprotumumab as a shot under the skin (89 people) finished December 2025.

   • Subcutaneous teprotumumab trial

3. 12 months

   by Nov 2027

   An IL-6 antibodyPossible

   Tourmaline's pacibekitug phase 2 (79 people) tests a different inflammatory target; due September 2026.

   • TOUR006 trial

4. 3 years

   by late 2029

   An IGF-1R pillPossible

   Sling's linsitinib ORBIT trial (130 people) tests an oral drug that works like the antibodies; due June 2028.

   • ORBIT

   Gene therapy for long-lasting effectLong shot

   Kriya's VV-14305 (135 people) aims for a single treatment; due August 2028.

   • VV-14305 trial

5. 5 years

   by late 2031

   Preventing eye diseaseLong shot

   A Swedish trial (554 people) tests whether atorvastatin prevents TED in newly diagnosed Graves' disease; due 2032.

   • Atorvastatin prevention trial

The research paths

Borrowed from other conditions

Open to join now

• Active moderate-to-severe TED

  Linsitinib (oral)

  Phase 3 · 18 sites

  Locations and eligibility →

• TED

  VV-14305 gene therapy

  Phase 2 · 5 sites

  Locations and eligibility →

• TED

  Sirolimus vs steroids

  Phase 2 · 1 site

  Locations and eligibility →

See every recruiting Thyroid eye disease trial →

When the trials finish

Completion dates the trials registered. Results usually follow 3 to 12 months later.

What just happened

Standard treatment today

• MildLubricating drops, selenium, stopping smoking, controlling thyroid levels.
• Moderate to severe, activeTeprotumumab or veligrotug; IV steroids; mycophenolate or tocilizumab for some.
• Chronic (inactive)Veligrotug or teprotumumab; eye-socket decompression or eye-muscle surgery.
• Sight-threateningHigh-dose IV steroids and urgent decompression surgery.

See Thyroid eye disease trials recruiting now →