Icatibant
Encyclopedia
Icatibant is a peptidomimetic
Peptidomimetic
A peptidomimetic is a small protein-like chain designed to mimic a peptide. They typically arise either from modification of an existing peptide, or by designing similar systems that mimic peptides, such as peptoids and β-peptides...

 drug
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

 consisting of ten amino acid
Amino acid
Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...

s, which is a selective and specific antagonist of bradykinin
Bradykinin
Bradykinin is a peptide that causes blood vessels to dilate , and therefore causes blood pressure to lower. A class of drugs called ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure, increase bradykinin further lowering blood pressure...

 B2 receptors
Bradykinin receptor B2
Bradykinin receptor B2 is a G-protein coupled receptor for bradykinin, encoded by the BDKRB2 gene in humans.-Mechanism:The B2 receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor, probably coupled to Gq and Gi. Gq stimulates phospholipase C to increase intracellular free calcium and Gi inhibits adenylate cyclase...

. It has been approved by the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

 for the symptomatic treatment of acute attacks, of hereditary angioedema
Angioedema
Angioedema or Quincke's edema is the rapid swelling of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa and submucosal tissues. It is very similar to urticaria, but urticaria, commonly known as hives, occurs in the upper dermis...

 (HAE) in adults (with C1-esterase-inhibitor deficiency).

Mode of action

Bradykinin is a peptide-based hormone that is formed locally in tissues, very often in response to a trauma. It increases vessel permeability, dilates blood vessels and causes smooth muscle cells to contract. Bradykinin plays an important role as the mediator of pain. Surplus bradykinin
Bradykinin
Bradykinin is a peptide that causes blood vessels to dilate , and therefore causes blood pressure to lower. A class of drugs called ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure, increase bradykinin further lowering blood pressure...

 is responsible for the typical symptoms of inflammation, such as swelling, redness, overheating and pain. These symptoms are mediated by activation of bradykinin B2 receptors. Icatibant acts as a bradykinin inhibitor by blocking the binding of native bradykinin to the bradykinin B2 receptor.

Regulatory status

Icatibant has received orphan drug
Orphan drug
An orphan drug is a pharmaceutical agent that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, the condition itself being referred to as an orphan disease...

 status in Australia, EU, Switzerland and US.

In the EU, the approval by the European Commission (July 2008) allows Jerini to market Firazyr in the European Union's 27 member states, as well as Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Iceland, making it the first product to be approved in all EU countries for the treatment of HAE. In the US, the drug was granted FDA approval on August 25, 2011.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK