Dexamethasone phosphateProduct ingredient for Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone, or MK-125, is a corticosteroid fluorinated at position 9 used to treat endocrine, rheumatic, collagen, dermatologic, allergic, ophthalmic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, hematologic, neoplastic, edematous, and other conditions.¹³ Developed in 1957, it is structurally similar to other corticosteroids like hydrocortisone and prednisolone.⁹

Dexamethasone was granted FDA approval on 30 October 1958.¹¹ In a press release for the Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial on 16 June 2020, dexamethasone was recommended for use in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory symptoms. Dexamethasone reduced deaths by approximately one third in patients requiring ventilation and by one fifth in those requiring oxygen.²²