KAI-1678

KAI-1678 is a first-in-class, isoenzyme-selective, synthetic 21-amino acid cell-permeable peptide that acts as an inhibitor of epsilon protein kinase C (εPKC). It was developed for the treatment of neuropathic and postoperative pain. The drug functions by selectively inhibiting the activity of εPKC, a protein kinase implicated in pain signaling pathways. Clinical trials investigated its efficacy in conditions such as postherpetic neuralgia; however, results showed that while KAI-1678 was generally safe and well tolerated, it did not demonstrate significant analgesic efficacy compared to placebo. Development for these indications has been discontinued[2][3][4][5][6][8].