HC001

HC001 is an investigational small molecule inhibitor of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel, developed by Beijing Houcheng Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. It is primarily being developed for the treatment of acute watery diarrhea, including cases associated with cholera and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The drug's mechanism of action involves blocking the CFTR-mediated secretion of chloride ions into the intestinal lumen, which subsequently reduces the excessive fluid loss and dehydration characteristic of secretory diarrheas. Unlike traditional antidiarrheal agents that target intestinal motility, HC001 acts as an antisecretory agent, addressing the underlying pathophysiology of fluid imbalance without affecting gut transit time. It is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in China.