Orvepitant maleate is an effective, selective, and well-tolerated neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1) antagonist (pKi: 10.2 for human neurokinin-1 receptor). Orvepitant maleate has the potential for depressive disorder and chronic refractory cough (CRC) treatment. Orvepitant maleate can across the blood-brain barrier.

NK1:10.2 （pki）

Orvepitant (0.3-10 nM), pre-incubated for 1 h at 37℃ before adding the agonist SP, produces a non-surmountable antagonism of agonist concentration-response curve. For the Orvepitant apparent pKB value is 10.30. Orvepitant is further characterized in terms of the ability to functionally inhibit substance P (SP)-induced release of cytosolic Ca2+ in human neurokinin-1 receptor (hNK1)-CHO cells [1].

Orvepitant shows an oral bioavailability (F) of 17% in rat and 55% in a dog, plasma clearance (Clp) of 29 mL/min/kg in rat and 6 mL/min/kg in dog and a half-life of 2.3 h in rat and 6.1 h in the dog. Orvepitant (0.3-10 mg/kg; p.o.; marmoset) treatment displays a dose-dependent reduction of the number of postures was observed at 1 mg/kg (34.9% reduction), 3 mg/kg (36.6% reduction) and 10 mg/kg (46.4% reduction), suggesting a potential anxiolytic-like effect of the compound. As far as the brain penetration in rats is concerned, a B/P ratio of 1.2 is observed 5 min after the i.v. administration of a 1 mg/kg dose of Orvepitant[1].