Difelikefalin

Difelikefalin
Clinical data
Trade namesKorsuva
Other namesCR845, FE-202845, D-Phe-D-Phe-D-Leu-D-Lys-[γ-(4-N-piperidinyl)amino carboxylic acid][1]
License data
Pregnancy
category
Routes of
administration		Intravenous
Drug classKappa opioid receptor agonist
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability100% (IV)[10]
MetabolismNot metabolized[10]
Elimination half-life2 hours[10]
ExcretionExcreted as unchanged
drug via bile and urine[10]
Identifiers
  • 4-amino-1-[(2R)-6-amino-2-[[(2R)-2-[[(2R)-2-[[(2R)-2-amino-3-phenylpropanoyl]amino]-3-phenylpropanoyl]amino]-4-methylpentanoyl]amino]hexanoyl]piperidine-4-carboxylic acid
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC36H53N7O6
Molar mass679.863 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CC(C)C[C@H](C(=O)N[C@H](CCCCN)C(=O)N1CCC(CC1)(C(=O)O)N)NC(=O)[C@@H](CC2=CC=CC=C2)NC(=O)[C@@H](CC3=CC=CC=C3)N

  • as salt: CC(O)=O.CC(C)C[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](CC1=CC=CC=C1)NC(=O)[C@H](N)CC1=CC=CC=C1)C(=O)N[C@H](CCCCN)C(=O)N1CCC(N)(CC1)C(O)=O
  • InChI=1S/C36H53N7O6/c1-24(2)21-29(32(45)40-28(15-9-10-18-37)34(47)43-19-16-36(39,17-20-43)35(48)49)42-33(46)30(23-26-13-7-4-8-14-26)41-31(44)27(38)22-25-11-5-3-6-12-25/h3-8,11-14,24,27-30H,9-10,15-23,37-39H2,1-2H3,(H,40,45)(H,41,44)(H,42,46)(H,48,49)/t27-,28-,29-,30-/m1/s1
  • Key:FWMNVWWHGCHHJJ-SKKKGAJSSA-N

  • as salt: InChI=1S/C36H53N7O6.C2H4O2/c1-24(2)21-29(32(45)40-28(15-9-10-18-37)34(47)43-19-16-36(39,17-20-43)35(48)49)42-33(46)30(23-26-13-7-4-8-14-26)41-31(44)27(38)22-25-11-5-3-6-12-25;1-2(3)4/h3-8,11-14,24,27-30H,9-10,15-23,37-39H2,1-2H3,(H,40,45)(H,41,44)(H,42,46)(H,48,49);1H3,(H,3,4)/t27-,28-,29-,30-;/m1./s1
  • Key:MZWHRPKAHCWTOI-KGURMGBCSA-N

Difelikefalin, sold under the brand name Korsuva, is an opioid peptide used for the treatment of moderate to severe itch. It acts as a peripherally-restricted, highly selective agonist of the κ-opioid receptor (KOR).[10][11][12][13]

Difelikefalin acts as an analgesic by activating KORs on peripheral nerve terminals and KORs expressed by certain immune system cells.[10] Activation of KORs on peripheral nerve terminals results in the inhibition of ion channels responsible for afferent nerve activity, causing reduced transmission of pain signals, while activation of KORs expressed by immune system cells results in reduced release of proinflammatory, nerve-sensitizing mediators (e.g., prostaglandins).[10]

Difelikefalin was approved for medical use in the United States in August 2021.[8][14][15] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers it to be a first-in-class medication.[16]

  1. ^ Janecka A, Perlikowska R, Gach K, Wyrebska A, Fichna J (2010). "Development of opioid peptide analogs for pain relief". Current Pharmaceutical Design. 16 (9): 1126–1135. doi:10.2174/138161210790963869. PMID 20030621.
  2. ^ a b "Korsuva". Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 25 November 2022. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Updates to the Prescribing Medicines in Pregnancy database". Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  4. ^ https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/auspar/auspar-korsuva [bare URL]
  5. ^ "Product monograph" (PDF). Health Canada. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Summary Basis of Decision - Korsuva". Health Canada. 23 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Details for: Korsuva". Health Canada. 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Korsuva- difelikefalin injection, solution". DailyMed. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Kapruvia EPAR". European Medicines Agency (EMA). 22 February 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022. Text was copied from this source which is copyright European Medicines Agency. Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Chalmers D (14 October 2010). "Peripheral kappa agonists". In Sinatra RS, Jahr JS, Watkins-Pitchford JM (eds.). The Essence of Analgesia and Analgesics. Cambridge University Press. pp. 490–491. ISBN 978-1-139-49198-3.
  11. ^ Apfelbaum J (8 September 2014). Ambulatory Anesthesia, An Issue of Anesthesiology Clinics. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-0-323-29934-3.
  12. ^ Leslie TA, Greavers MW, Yosipovitch G (10 April 2015). "Current Topical and Systemic Therapies for Itch". In Cowan A, Yosipovitch G (eds.). Pharmacology of Itch. Springer. pp. 307–. ISBN 978-3-662-44605-8.
  13. ^ Goli V, Pryde D, Omoto K (2013). "Oral Opioids". In Allerton C (ed.). Pain Therapeutics: Current and Future Treatment Paradigms. Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-1-84973-645-9.
  14. ^ "Korsuva: FDA-Approved Drugs". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Vifor Pharma and Cara Therapeutics announce U.S. FDA approval of Korsuva injection for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pruritus in hemodialysis patients" (Press release). Vifor Pharma. 24 August 2021. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021 – via Business Wire.
  16. ^ Advancing Health Through Innovation: New Drug Therapy Approvals 2021 (PDF). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Report). 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.