Lexipafant (BB-882): A potent new platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist

Lexipafant is a potent PAF receptor antagonist in vivo. It reduced the rise in pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and improved cardiac output in nonhypotensive sepsis and in posthemorrhage septic shock in pigs when given as a pretreatment, but did not influence the lung injury. Lexipafant did not improve cardiovascular dysfunction in hemorrhagic and postischemic shock in pigs but reduced ischemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias and mortality in anesthetized rabbits. A recent clinical study has shown that lexipafant reduced inflammatory response and improved organ failure when used as a treatment for acute pancreatitis. We are waiting for final results of a clinical multicenter study with lexipafant in severe acute pancreatitis.