CompletedPhase 3Results postedNCT05885737
Phase 3 Study of Difelikefalin in Haemodialysis Chinese Adult Subjects With Moderate-to-Severe Pruritus
Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharman = 26018 May 2023 to 25 Sept 2024
Uremic Pruritus
Difelikefalin / Studies
Synthetic analog · 5 amino acids · 679.8 Da
Difelikefalin studies and research data
PepBank has 41 difelikefalin studies with results. 40 of them gave difelikefalin, with 272 results, grouped by what the studies measured. In each group, results from studies in people come first. Data as of 2026-10-30.
Searches 272 results and 71 papers. Newer studies from Europe PMC
Results in people
247
91% of 272 results
Results in animals
20
7% of 272 results
Results in lab cells
3
1% of 272 results
From computer models
2
under 1% of 272 results
The molecule
Difelikefalin identity
Identifiers, parent molecule, targets and development stage, from curated data.
Difelikefalin is a synthetic peptide kappa opioid receptor agonist. Its label concerns CKD-associated pruritus in adults receiving hemodialysis.
- Kind
- Synthetic analog · 5 residues
- Identifiers
- ChEMBLCHEMBL3989915 (opens in a new tab)PubChem CID24794466 (opens in a new tab)UNIINA1U919MRO (opens in a new tab)DrugBankDB11938 (opens in a new tab)CAS1024828-77-0
- Development
- Approved in the US and EU (Korsuva, 2021)An approved medicinal product exists. Availability and other indications can differ. Source (opens in a new tab)
Targets
| Target | Action | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Kappa opioid receptorOPRK1P41145 (opens in a new tab) | Agonist | Official prescribing information, mechanism of actionSource (opens in a new tab) |
Sequence and structure
Residues, differences from the parent, calculated properties and 3D structure. Source values and calculated values are shown separately.
Sequence
5 amino acids · 5 modifications
H-
Residues 1 to 5:
Properties
From identity sources
- Formula
- C36H53N7O6
- Molecular weight
- 679.8 g/mol
- Monoisotopic mass
- 679.4057 Da
- GSRS UNII NA1U919MRO(opens in a new tab)retrieved 2026-10-27
- PubChem CID 24794466(opens in a new tab)retrieved 2026-10-27
- Curated Korsuva US label(opens in a new tab)retrieved 2026-10-27
Calculated from the sequence
Some values cannot be calculated. The sequence has a non-canonical residue (X). Residue tables cover only the 20 standard amino acids.
- Average mass
- Not calculated
- Monoisotopic mass
- Not calculated
- Isoelectric point (pI)
- Not calculated
- Net charge at pH 7.4
- Not calculated
- GRAVY (hydropathy)
- Not calculated
- Extinction coefficient, 280 nm (Cys reduced)
- 0 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹
- 5500 x Trp + 1490 x Tyr · Pace et al. 1995 (ExPASy ProtParam)
- No Trp or Tyr: absorbance at 280 nm cannot measure this peptide.
- Instability index
- Not calculated
- Aliphatic index
- Not calculated
- Boman index
- Not calculated
- Hydrophobic moment (μH)
- Not calculated
- 1 non-canonical residue (X) is not included in calculated values.
- The C-terminal group is not modeled.
- D-amino acids have the same mass and charge as L forms. Hydrophobicity scales were measured on L forms.
- Defined and validated for proteins; use with care for short peptides.
- Assumes an ideal alpha helix. Many short peptides are not helical.
@pepdb/chem 0.2.0 · EMBOSS pKa set · ExPASy residue masses
Net charge by pH
No charge curve
The sequence has a non-canonical residue (X). Residue tables cover only the 20 standard amino acids.
Composition
- Hydrophobic20% (1)L
- Aromatic40% (2)F
- Positive20% (1)K
- Non-canonical20% (1)X
5 residues. Each residue counts in one class; F and W count as aromatic.
A Ala0 · 0%
I Ile0 · 0%
L Leu1 · 20%
M Met0 · 0%
V Val0 · 0%
F Phe2 · 40%
W Trp0 · 0%
Y Tyr0 · 0%
H His0 · 0%
K Lys1 · 20%
R Arg0 · 0%
D Asp0 · 0%
E Glu0 · 0%
N Asn0 · 0%
Q Gln0 · 0%
S Ser0 · 0%
T Thr0 · 0%
C Cys0 · 0%
G Gly0 · 0%
P Pro0 · 0%
X Xaa1 · 20%
3D structure
No 3D structure
No experimental structure (PDB) and no UniProt entry for an AlphaFold model are listed for this peptide. Synthetic peptides often have neither. The sequence view above is the reference.
2D structure
Draws the structure in your browser with RDKit (about 2.3 MB, loaded once).
SMILES fromPubChem CID 24794466(opens in a new tab)
CC(C)C[C@H](C(=O)N[C@H](CCCCN)C(=O)N1CCC(CC1)(C(=O)O)N)NC(=O)[C@@H](CC2=CC=CC=C2)NC(=O)[C@@H](CC3=CC=CC=C3)NResults by area
What the studies measured
People first in each area, then animals, then lab cells. Counts are exact and come from studies that gave the peptide.
Trials and papers
Newer studies
PepBank reads each paper before it shows the results. This search looks in Europe PMC for newer papers that PepBank has not read yet.
Status and safety
Data