Ecallantide
Also referenced as: Kalbitor
A recombinant peptide inhibitor of plasma kallikrein used in acute hereditary angioedema.
- Evidence grade
- AStrong Clinical Evidence
Strong Clinical Evidence
- Regulatory status
- FDA Approved for Specific Indication
Kalbitor is FDA-approved for acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in patients aged 12 years and older.
- Human data
- Yes
Registered clinical trials exist
- Last reviewed
- October 27, 2026
Overview
A recombinant peptide inhibitor of plasma kallikrein used in acute hereditary angioedema.
Kalbitor is FDA-approved for acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in patients aged 12 years and older.
Treatment of an acute disease attack is not evidence for general inflammation reduction or routine skin use.
Why It's Being Studied
- Hereditary angioedema
- Bradykinin formation
Mechanism of Action
Kallikrein inhibition reduces formation of bradykinin, a mediator of vascular leakage and swelling.
Kallikrein inhibition reduces formation of bradykinin, a mediator of vascular leakage and swelling. Treatment of an acute disease attack is not evidence for general inflammation reduction or routine skin use.
From molecular target to clinical evidence
Tap each stage to see what happens.
Background: Clinical Peptide Medicines
Clinical peptide medicines include endocrine treatments, antimicrobial drugs, receptor blockers and targeted diagnostic or cancer agents. They do not share one mechanism or one set of indications.
An approval belongs to a specific medicine and indication. A diagnostic tracer, an antibiotic and a hormone are not interchangeable wellness products; read each profile's own mechanism and prescribing source.
Research Areas & Routes Studied
- Hereditary angioedema
- Bradykinin formation
- Subcutaneous approved medicine under clinical supervision
Evidence Summary
Human evidence supports treatment of acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in the labeled age group.
Higher tiers carry more weight. Filled tiers have evidence for Ecallantide; tap to read it.
- Human evidence supports treatment of acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in the labeled age group.
1 cited sources.
- Prescribing label1
Human clinical evidence
- Human evidence supports treatment of acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in the labeled age group.
Reported Adverse Events in Research
- A boxed warning covers anaphylaxis; administration requires a healthcare professional with appropriate emergency support.
Limitations of Current Evidence
- Treatment of an acute disease attack is not evidence for general inflammation reduction or routine skin use.
- Findings apply to the product, route and population studied; they do not establish benefits or safety for unrelated wellness uses or research-vial products.
How to Read This Research
- Is this a single molecule or a family of medicines?
- Is the use diagnostic, therapeutic or investigational?
- Does the quoted outcome match the exact product, formulation and population?
- Use the compound-specific mechanism above; this diagram describes drug development, not a shared biological pathway.
- Historical approval, present availability and off-label use are distinct questions.
- For radiopharmaceuticals and hospital medicines, specialist handling is part of the treatment context.
- Indication
- The condition and population for which a medicine is approved.
- Antagonist
- A compound that blocks activity at a receptor.
- Radiopharmaceutical
- A medicine containing a radioactive isotope for imaging or treatment.
Compare With Other Compounds
| Ecallantide | Trofinetide | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence grade | A — Strong Clinical Evidence | B — Moderate Human Evidence |
| Regulatory status | FDA Approved for Specific Indication | FDA Approved for Specific Indication |
| Human data | Yes | Yes |
| Clinical trials | Registered trials exist | Registered trials exist |
| Research routes | Subcutaneous approved medicine under clinical supervision | Oral approved medicine |
| Cited sources | 1 | 2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Research References
- Prescribing label
Ecallantide — prescribing label