Axelopran


Axelopran is a drug which is under development by Theravance Biopharma for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. It acts as a peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist and also acts on κ-, and δ-opioid receptors, with similar affinity for the μ- and κ-opioid receptors and about an order of magnitude lower affinity for the δ-opioid receptor. Axelopran has potent μ-opioid receptor antagonist activity on the gastrointestinal tract in vivo, and thus it produces a dose-dependent inhibition of opioid-induced delaying in gastric emptying in mice and rats following subcutaneous or oral administration.