Icatibant
Also referenced as: Firazyr
A peptide antagonist used to treat acute hereditary-angioedema attacks.
- Evidence grade
- AStrong Clinical Evidence
Strong Clinical Evidence
- Regulatory status
- FDA Approved for Specific Indication
Firazyr is FDA-approved for acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in adults aged 18 years and older.
- Human data
- Yes
Registered clinical trials exist
- Last reviewed
- October 27, 2026
Overview
A peptide antagonist used to treat acute hereditary-angioedema attacks.
Firazyr is FDA-approved for acute hereditary-angioedema attacks in adults aged 18 years and older.
An approved attack treatment does not establish a benefit in unrelated inflammatory or cosmetic conditions.
Why It's Being Studied
- Hereditary angioedema
- Bradykinin B2 receptors
Mechanism of Action
It blocks bradykinin B2 receptors, limiting the swelling signal rather than broadly suppressing the immune system.
It blocks bradykinin B2 receptors, limiting the swelling signal rather than broadly suppressing the immune system. An approved attack treatment does not establish a benefit in unrelated inflammatory or cosmetic conditions.
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 B2 receptors
- Subcutaneous approved medicine
Evidence Summary
Human trials support the approved acute-attack indication in adults.
Higher tiers carry more weight. Filled tiers have evidence for Icatibant; tap to read it.
- Human trials support the approved acute-attack indication in adults.
1 cited sources.
- Prescribing label1
Human clinical evidence
- Human trials support the approved acute-attack indication in adults.
Reported Adverse Events in Research
- Injection-site reactions are common; laryngeal swelling is an emergency even when treatment is available.
Limitations of Current Evidence
- An approved attack treatment does not establish a benefit in unrelated inflammatory or cosmetic conditions.
- 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
| Icatibant | 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 | Oral approved medicine |
| Cited sources | 1 | 2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Research References
- Prescribing label
Icatibant — prescribing label