The molecule is a dipeptide resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-valine with the amino group of L-phenylalanine aldehyde. It is a potent cell-permeable inhibitor of calpain I and II, and is also a gamma-secretase inhibitor. It has a role as an EC 3.4.22.53 (calpain-2) inhibitor, an EC 3.4.22.52 (calpain-1) inhibitor, an EC 3.4.23.46 (memapsin 2) inhibitor, an antileishmanial agent and an apoptosis inhibitor. It is an aldehyde, a dipeptide and a carbamate ester.
benzyl N-[(2S)-3-methyl-1-oxo-1-[[(2S)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl]amino]butan-2-yl]carbamate