What is "deflazacort"

n. A glucocorticoid prodrug used as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant.

Deflazacort is a glucocorticoid used as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant.

Deflazacort is an inactive prodrug which is metabolized rapidly to the active drug 21-desacetyldeflazacort. Its potency is around 70–90% that of prednisone.

It is sold in Bangladesh as Xalcort, marketed by Beacon Pharmaceuticals Limited, in the United Kingdom by Shire under the trade name Calcort; in Brazil as Cortax, Decortil, and Deflanil; in India as MOAID, ZENFLAV BY TIGRIS, Defolet(Roussette), DFZ, Decotaz, and DefZot; in Panama as Zamen, Spain as Zamene and in Honduras as Flezacor. It is not available in the United States. In January 2015, the FDA granted fast track status to Marathon Pharmaceuticals to pursue approval of deflazacort as a potential treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The company expects to make deflazacort available in the United States in 2016.