Lexipafant Explained

Lexipafant (BB-882, Zacutex) is a drug which acts as a potent and selective inhibitor of the phospholipid mediator platelet-activating factor (PAF). It was developed in the 1990s by British Biotech with several potential applications, including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder and acute pancreatitis. Initial results were encouraging and it progressed as far as Phase III clinical trials, but final analysis of trial results showed that it failed to improve survival rates in pancreatitis despite some symptomatic improvement, and it was ultimately discontinued from development as a medicine, though it continues to be used as a model PAF inhibitor for pharmacology research.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Notes and References

1. Kingsnorth AN . Platelet-activating factor . Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Supplement . 1996 . 219 . 28–31 . 8865468 . 10.3109/00365529609104996 .
2. Book: McKay C, Curran FJ, Sharples CE, Young CA, Baxter JN, Imrie CW . Platelet-Activating Factor and Related Lipid Mediators 2 . The Use of Lexipafant in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis . Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology . 1996 . 416 . 365–370 . 9131175 . 10.1007/978-1-4899-0179-8_59 . 978-1-4899-0181-1 .
3. Johnson CD, Kingsnorth AN, Imrie CW, McMahon MJ, Neoptolemos JP, McKay C, Toh SK, Skaife P, Leeder PC, Wilson P, Larvin M, Curtis LD . 6 . Double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study of a platelet activating factor antagonist, lexipafant, in the treatment and prevention of organ failure in predicted severe acute pancreatitis . Gut . 48 . 1 . 62–69 . January 2001 . 11115824 . 10.1136/gut.48.1.62 . 1728186 .
4. Abu-Zidan FM, Windsor JA . Lexipafant and acute pancreatitis: a critical appraisal of the clinical trials . The European Journal of Surgery = Acta Chirurgica . 2002 . 168 . 4 . 215–219 . 12440758 . 10.1080/11024150260102816 . free .