inorganic pyrophosphate

Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) is a naturally occurring endogenous small molecule that serves as a potent inhibitor of arterial calcification. It functions by binding to hydroxyapatite crystals, thereby preventing the deposition and growth of calcium phosphate in the medial layer of arterial walls, a process known as medial arterial calcification (MAC). Developed as a therapeutic agent by the Universitair Medisch Centrum (UMC) Utrecht, it is primarily being investigated for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication. In these conditions, vascular calcification contributes to arterial stiffness and reduced blood flow, and PPi supplementation aims to halt or reverse this pathological mineralization.

Other names

pyrophosphatediphosphatesodium pyrophosphate