HW201877 is a potent, orally active inhibitor of 15-prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), with an IC50 value of 3.6 nM. It significantly increases PEG2 levels in A549 cells and demonstrates notable efficacy in animal models of tissue injury and fibrosis. HW201877 is utilized in research for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and Crohn's disease (CD).

HW 201877 has demonstrated good microsomal stability in liver microsomes across various species (human, rat, dog, mouse) and inhibits seven major cytochrome P450 isoforms (CYP 1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A), with IC50 values exceeding 150 μM. Additionally, HW 201877 increases PEG2 levels by 4.8 times relative to its counterpart, indicating significant pharmacological efficacy.

HW201877, administered orally at doses of 0.5-2 mg/kg twice daily for 21 days, effectively slows the progression of pulmonary fibrosis in rat models. Additionally, HW201877 at 2.5-5 mg/kg (p.o., twice daily for 10 days) markedly alleviates pathological symptoms in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mouse models and shows significant therapeutic effects on pathological manifestations in rat models of Crohn's disease.