Belnacasan

Belnacasan (VX-765) is an orally bioactive prodrug of VRT-043198, which is a potent and selective inhibitor of IL-converting enzyme (ICE)/caspase-1 with K_is of 0.8 nM and less than 0.6 nM for caspase-1 and caspase-4, respectively. Belnacasan (VX-765) inhibits the release of LPS-induced IL-1β and IL-18 by human PBMCs with an IC₅₀ of ~0.7 μM^[1][2]. IC50 & Target: Ki: 0.8 nM (Caspase-1), <0.6 nM (Caspase-4)^[1] In Vivo: Belnacasan reduces inflammatory response in murine models of inflammatory disease^[1].
Belnacasan (50-200 mg/kg) significantly reduces serum IL-1β levels by as much as 60%. It is noteworthy that the effect of Belnacasan on the release of IL-1β induced by LPS reached a plateau at 100 mg/kg. Belnacasan (25-100 mg/kg × 2) significantly reduces ear edema. Belnacasan also dose-dependently reduces the concentrations of cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory mediators in the ear biopsy samples^[2].
Belnacasan (25-200 mg/kg) significantly delays the time to seizure onset by 1.5- to twofold (p<0.01), reduces the number of seizures by 40% (p<0.01) and the total time spent in EEG seizure activity by 30 to 50% (p<0.01)^[3].