Addition of Key Opinion Leaders in Beta Cell Health and Type 2 Diabetes
SEATTLE, WA — February 10, 2026 — Kayothera, Inc., a preclinical therapeutics company developing first-in-class, small molecule inhibitors of the retinoid nuclear receptor pathway, announced the expansion of its Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) to support its goal of creating disease-modifying therapies for type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications and other unmet medical needs.
The collective thought leadership of the clinical advisors in pancreatic islet biology and clinical trial approaches will shape Kayothera’s translational strategy as we advance the first therapy with the potential to restore dysfunctional β cells. Loss of pancreatic β cell function is the root cause of type 2 diabetes, yet no available therapy, including the most potent GLP-1 receptor agonists, has been shown to successfully restore β-cell function. By integrating insights into the mechanisms of β cell failure with expertise in clinical development, the CAB will assist in the advancement of Kayothera’s lead candidates with the potential to reverse the progression of type 2 diabetes.
Kayothera’s new CAB appointments will join Dr. Domenico Accili, the 2017 Banting Medal recipient who was the first to describe β cell dedifferentiation as the root cause of β cell dysfunction. The new appointees include:
- John Buse, MD/PhD, the Director of the Diabetes Center at the University of North Carolina and a Banting Medal recipient. Dr. Buse is recognized for his thought leadership in T2D, specifically in the design of large-scale clinical trials and the evaluation of cardiovascular outcomes in diabetes therapies.
- Francesco Giorgino, MD/PhD, a Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Bari Aldo Moro. Dr. Giorgino’s research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of β cell regeneration and survival, investigating how therapeutic targets can restore functional insulin-producing mass in metabolic disease.
- Steven Kahn, MD, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington and the 2025 Banting Medal recipient. Dr. Kahn’s work centers on the natural history of β cell functional loss in type 2 diabetes and his recent clinical work shows that >80% of β cell function is lost by the time a patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Dr. Kahn’s work has highlighted that restoring β cell health is the major unmet need in the type 2 diabetes landscape.
“Expanding our Clinical Advisory Board with these world-renowned experts reinforces our approach to treat and potentially reverse type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Mark Esposito, Founder and CSO of Kayothera. “Their combined experience in β cell health and clinical development provides the necessary framework as we transition our research toward patient-focused outcomes.”
About Kayothera. Kayothera is a preclinical therapeutics company focused on the development of first-in-class, oral, small molecule inhibitors of the retinoid nuclear receptor pathway for cardiometabolic disease and other unmet medical needs. This pathway plays a critical role in a variety of serious diseases, and despite broad preclinical, clinical and real-world validation, the retinoid nuclear receptor pathway has remained undrugged. The company was founded based on discoveries from Dr. Mark Esposito’s post-doctoral research at Princeton University and professor Yibin Kang, PhD. For more information, visit www.kayothera.com.
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Jessica Burback
Email: jburback@acceleratorlsp.com
Phone: 206-957-7302