Caspase-4 is a cysteine protease. While much remains to be determined regarding caspase-4’s function and mechanism of action, it is thought to play a role in inflammation and apoptosis related to ER stress. Because ER stress has been linked to ischemia and Alzheimer's, inhibitors to caspase-4 are of interest as therapeutics for these two conditions and various other diseases linked to excessive inflammation and apoptosis. Both peptide and small-molecule caspase-4 inhibitors are available for research purposes.