Nalfurafine (Nal)

Nalfurafine is an antipruritic (anti-itch drug) that is marketed in Japan for the treatment of uremic pruritus in individuals with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis. It acts as a potent, selective, centrally-penetrant κ-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist, and is the first and currently the only selective KOR agonist to have been approved for clinical use. It has also been referred to as the "first non-narcotic opioid drug" in history. Nalfurafine is an orally active, centrally acting, highly potent, selective full agonist of the κ-opioid receptor (KOR). As touched on above, nalfurafine shows atypical properties as a KOR agonist relative to other drugs. Nalfurafine has been found to be effective in a variety of animal models relevant to drug abuse, addiction, and dependence, and may represent a novel potential treatment for these maladies.