Reparixin is a potent functional inhibitor of CXCL8-induced biological activities on human PMNs with a marked selectivity (around 400-fold) for CXCR1, as shown in specific experiments on CXCR1/L1.2 and CXCR2/L1.2 transfected cells and on human PMNs. The efficacy of Reparixin is significantly lower in L1.2 cells expressing Ile43Val CXCR1 mutant (IC ₅₀ values of 5.6 nM and 80 nM for CXCR1 wt and CXCR1 Ile43Val, respectively). Reparixin is a non-competitive allosteric inhibitor of IL-8 receptors with a 400-fold higher efficacy in inhibiting CXCR1 activity than CXCR2.

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of Reparixin are investigated in rats and dogs after intravenous administration of [ ¹⁴ C]-Reparixin L-lysine salt. Plasma protein binding of Reparixin is >99% in the laboratory animals and humans up to 50 μg/mL, but lower at higher concentrations. Although radioactivity is rapidly distributed into rat tissues, V _ss is low (about 0.15 L/kg) in both rat and dog. Nevertheless, Reparixin is more rapidly eliminated in rats (t _1/2 ~0.5 h) than in dogs (t _1/2 ~10 h).