After its discovery in 1972, acivicin was studied as an anti-cancer agent, but trials were unsuccessful due to toxicity.[3]
Research
An in vitro study showed that Acivicin at a concentration of 5 μM Acivicin inhibited by 78% the growth of human pancreaticcarcinomacells (MIA PaCa-2) after 72 hours in continuous culture. It was also found that acivicin at a concentration of 450 μM irreversibly inactivated MIA PaCa-2 γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (10 nmol/min/106 cells) with an inactivation half-life of 80 minutes.[1]
Phase I studies
Phase I dose escalating studies conducted in 23 cancer patients administered acivicin with a concomitant 96-h i.v. infusion of a mixture of 16 amino acids showed reversible, dose-limiting CNS toxicity, characterized by lethargy, confusion and decreased mental status.
References
^ abAllen, L.; Meck, R.; Yunis, A. (1980). "The Inhibition of γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase from Human Pancreatic Carcinoma Cells by (αS,5S)-α-Amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic Acid (AT-125; NSC-163501)". Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology. 27 (1): 175–182. PMID6102405.
^Hidalgo, M.; Rodriguez, G.; Kuhn, J. G.; Brown, T.; Weiss, G.; MacGovren, J. P.; von Hoff, D. D.; Rowinsky, E. K. (1998). "A Phase I and Pharmacological Study of the Glutamine Antagonist Acivicin with the Amino Acid Solution Aminosyn in Patients with Advanced Solid Malignancies". Clinical Cancer Research. 4 (11): 2763–2770. PMID9829740.