Transcrocetinate sodium has shown promise of effectiveness in restoring tissue oxygen levels and improving the ability to walk in a clinical trial of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) in which reduced delivery of oxygen-rich blood to tissues can cause severe leg pain and impair mobility. The drug has also been under investigation in a clinical trial sponsored by drug developer Diffusion Pharmaceuticals for potential use as a radiosensitizer, increasing the susceptibility of hypoxic cancer cells to radiation therapy, in patients with a form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma. The drug is currently under investigation for its possible use in enhancing the oxygenation status of COVID-19 patients at risk for developing multiple organ failure due to severe respiratory distress.