Brief history as I remember:
To my best recollection GCS-100 was developed by David Platt back around the turn of the century with a company called GlycoGenesys. Platt was forced out and started Pro-Pharmaceuticals in early 2000's and developed a compound with same target, galectin-3, which he called Davanat (CT-GM-01), for himself and partner Anatoly Klyosov. So in typical corporate culture GlycoGenesys filed a law suit. GlycoGenesys started a P1 study for GCS-100 in solid tumor treatment with good enough results to warrant a P2 but they ran out of money. Eventually the law suit went away, with Pro-Pharmaceuticals in the clear. I don't remember if there were any other companies involved but eventually Prospect Therapeutics gained control of the drug and all I remember of them is they supplied it to a west coast university for usage in lung cancer tests which were also promising. But they also ran out of money. There may have been another company involved but it then ended up with LaJolla who is progressing with it for use in fibrosis. GCS-100 is pretty well tolerated but does have a few adverse effects, most notably a rash. I don't think it was rated higher than a grade 2 event though.
The big difference between LaJolla and Galectin Therapeutics is the potential for development of the product. All the brains behind carbohydrates for use as drugs is with GALT. LaJolla is not, to my knowledge, refining the compound, where as GALT has come up with GR-MD-02 and is working on oral delivery. I understand they have additional products in the wings waiting for money to develop.
LaJolla has smart business guys running the place so it might not be a bad idea to place a bet on them as well.
