Exelixis
Exelixis works on 10 rare diseases tracked on Trial Friend, including Cholangiocarcinoma, Essential Thrombocythemia, Familial Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma and 7 more, with 5 active clinical trials (3 recruiting) and 2 FDA-approved rare disease drugs.
Exelixis is an oncology-focused pharmaceutical company best known for cabozantinib (Cabometyx/Cometriq), a multikinase inhibitor FDA-approved for medullary thyroid cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The company has a growing pipeline of next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates targeting solid tumors.
Focus areas at Exelixis
Within its broader pharmaceutical portfolio, Exelixis has active clinical trial programs and drug development efforts across 10 rare diseases, including Cholangiocarcinoma, Essential Thrombocythemia, Familial Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Medullary Thyroid Cancer, and 5 additional rare conditions. These programs may span orphan drug designation, novel therapeutic mechanisms, and precision medicine approaches targeting the underlying causes of each disease.
The clinical trials section below shows active and recruiting rare disease studies sponsored by Exelixis, sourced live from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each trial includes its current recruitment status, study phase (Phase 1 through Phase 4), conditions under investigation, and the number of active trial sites. The FDA-approved drugs section lists treatments that have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, with brand names, generic names, approval dates, and matched rare disease indications from the openFDA database.
Exelixis is headquartered in Alameda, United States, founded in 1994, publicly traded under the ticker symbol EXEL. The company maintains a dedicated rare disease division alongside its broader therapeutic portfolio, working to bring innovative treatments to patients with conditions that have historically had limited or no treatment options.
Exelixis Drug Pipeline
Exelixis has 5 active clinical trials across 4 development stages, with 3 currently recruiting participants. Clinical trials advance through phases: Phase 1 tests safety in a small group, Phase 2 evaluates effectiveness and side effects, Phase 3 confirms benefit in a larger population, and Phase 4 monitors long-term safety after FDA approval.
Note: This pipeline counts the active and recruiting trials listed on this page, from ClinicalTrials.gov. For companies that work outside rare disease, we list only trials for rare diseases we track, so the company's full pipeline may be larger.
Exelixis Clinical Trials (5)
Active and recruiting clinical trials sponsored by Exelixis, sourced live from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each trial card shows the study phase, current recruitment status, conditions under investigation, study locations, eligibility criteria, and a direct link to the full ClinicalTrials.gov record. You can also download a one-page PDF summary to share with your doctor.
Note: Recruitment statuses on ClinicalTrials.gov may not immediately reflect recent FDA decisions, sponsor announcements, or enrollment changes. Always confirm a trial's current status directly with the study coordinator.
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Exelixis FDA-Approved Drugs (2)
Medications developed or marketed by Exelixis that have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Drug data is sourced from the openFDA database and includes brand names, generic names, approval dates, and matched rare disease indications. Where a drug treats a condition covered by Trial Friend, the disease name links directly to that disease page.
| Drug Name | Brand Name | Rare Diseases | Approval Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CABOZANTINIB | CABOMETYX oral | Apr 25, 2016 | |
| CABOZANTINIB | COMETRIQ oral | Nov 29, 2012 |
Exelixis Trial Locations
Exelixis clinical trials are running at 189 sites in 23 countries. Click any country to drill down by state, city, and individual research facility. Proximity to a trial site is one of the most important factors in deciding whether to participate.
Rare Disease Focus Areas (10)
Diseases targeted by Exelixis's clinical trial and drug development programs
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that forms in the bile ducts, the thin tubes that carry digestive fluid (bile) from the liver to the small intestine. It can occur inside the liver (...
Essential Thrombocythemia is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by overproduction of platelets by bone marrow, resulting in very high platelet counts. Patients are at increased risk for blood...
Familial medullary thyroid carcinoma is an autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome caused by germline RET mutations. Nearly all mutation carriers develop medullary thyroid cancer by adulthoo...
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, arising from the interstitial cells of Cajal or their precursors. Most GISTs are driven by...
Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor arising from the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland, accounting for 2-4% of all thyroid cancers. About 75% of cases are sporadic ...
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin cancer that arises from Merkel cells, specialized touch receptors in the skin. It typically appears as a painless, firm nodule on sun-exposed areas, gr...
Patient Resources
Organizations and resources related to Exelixis's rare disease focus areas
Frequently Asked Questions About Exelixis
Common questions about Exelixis's rare disease programs, clinical trials, and treatments.