HBED dihydrochloride is an orally active and hexadentate phenolic aminocarboxylate iron chelator. HBED refers to N, N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, inducing iron excretion in primates. HBED dihydrochloride has the potential to be used as an alternative to desferriamine for iron chelation therapy.