CAR + dexamethasone

CAR + dexamethasone is a combination therapy under development by Vascular BioSciences. It consists of CAR (CARSKNKDC), a synthetic 9-amino-acid cyclic vascular homing peptide, co-administered with the corticosteroid dexamethasone. CAR peptide selectively targets and penetrates diseased or septic-damaged vascular tissue (such as the endothelium in the lung, liver, and kidney) via enhanced selective macropinocytosis, thereby acting as an adjuvant to target and enhance the delivery of co-administered drugs. Dexamethasone is a synthetic glucocorticoid receptor agonist with potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities. The combination is being developed to reduce mortality and sepsis progression in critically ill patients, particularly those with COVID-19, by protecting the injured endothelial glycocalyx and reducing systemic inflammation at highly reduced corticosteroid doses.

Other names

CAR + low-dose corticosteroidsCAR peptide + dexamethasoneCAR peptide-dexamethasone combinationCARSKNKDC + dexamethasone