dazcapistat

BLD-2660 (dazcapistat) is a novel, synthetic, orally active small molecule inhibitor of dimeric calpains—specifically calpain 1, 2, and 9. It was developed by Blade Therapeutics as an anti-fibrotic and antiviral agent. The drug acts by selectively inhibiting calpain activity over cathepsins and other proteases, thereby reducing inflammation and fibrosis in organs such as the lungs and liver. Overactivity of dimeric calpains is implicated in the progression of fibrotic diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), scleroderma interstitial lung disease (ILD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), systemic sclerosis (SSc), as well as in COVID-19-related tissue damage. BLD-2660 also downregulates calprotectin—a neutrophil activation marker associated with lung dysfunction—and broadly targets the IL-6 family of cytokines to help control immune overactivation[1][3][4][5][6]. The drug received orphan drug designation for IPF but its development has been discontinued for all indications[1].

Other names

dazcapistat