What Is Corcept Therapeutics?
Corcept Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on mifepristone (originally RU-486, the abortion medication) as a treatment for Cushing’s syndrome — a cortisol excess condition:
- Founded by Dr. Joseph Belanoff and Alan Schatzberg
- Based in Menlo Park, California
- Mifepristone (branded as Korlym) for Cushing’s is its primary approved product
Epstein’s Relationship
Epstein had a documented connection to Dr. Joseph Belanoff and Corcept:
- He appeared on company-related documents and in communications
- The relationship was part of his broader scientific and biomedical investment network
- It gave him connection to Stanford Medical School-adjacent circles (Belanoff’s academic background)
The Broader Pattern: Biomedical Investment
The Corcept connection was one of several biomedical investments Epstein cultivated:
- He positioned himself as both investor and patron in pharmaceutical research
- This complemented his basic science salon activity (physics, mathematics, biology)
- Investment in biomedical companies gave him credibility in medical/pharmaceutical circles
Stanford Connection
Dr. Belanoff’s background was at Stanford University, giving Epstein another pathway into the West Coast intellectual and biomedical world that complemented his East Coast science network.
Why This Matters
Epstein’s pharmaceutical and biomedical connections are part of the larger pattern:
- He used money and investment potential as social currency in scientific circles
- Being an investor in a scientist’s company creates social and professional ties that pure patronage does not
- The diversification of his scientific relationships across multiple institutions and disciplines made him harder to exclude
Post-2019
Corcept and Dr. Belanoff faced questions about the relationship after Epstein’s 2019 arrest. The exact nature and extent of investments is not fully publicly documented.