eritoran

A synthetic analogue of the lipid A portion of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with potential immunomodulating activity. Eritoran binds to a receptor complex composed of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), CD14 and MD2 (MD-2, LY96) that is present on most cells of the immune system, inhibiting the activation of the receptor complex by LPS, which may result in the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and a potentially fatal systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). LPS is found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and binds to the TLR4/CD14/MD2 receptor complex of immune cells, including macrophages, resulting in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.