HEP-50768

HEP-50768 is an investigational small molecule **kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist** developed by **HighPass Biotech (Beijing) Co., Ltd.** (海湃泰克). It is designed as an oral therapy for the treatment of **cholestatic pruritus** and **chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP)**. The drug works by selectively activating KORs, which are known to modulate itch signaling and provide antipruritic effects, while avoiding the typical side effects associated with mu-opioid receptor activation, such as addiction or respiratory depression. As of 2024, it is undergoing Phase I clinical evaluation in China (CTR20261473) to assess its safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers and patients.