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Uridine triacetate

Uridine triacetate, formerly known as vistonuridine, is an orally active prodrug of uridine, meaning that uridine triacetate is converted to uridine in the body. Once uridine triacetate is converted to uridine, it reduces the incorporation of 5-FU metabolites into the genetic material of non-cancerous cells. Because of the poor bioavailability of oral uridine, however, and because of complications associated with intravenously administered uridine, uridine itself is not a clinically viable treatment for 5-FU overexposure. Uridine triacetate delivers about eight-fold more uridine into the bloodstream than does oral administration of uridine. Wellstat is also investigating the potential use of uridine triacetate when given after 5-FU administration to cancer patients to achieve higher, more effective doses of 5-FU while preserving an acceptable margin of safety.  see: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189546.php.

According to news published in 21 May 2010, uridine triacetate has further demonstrated its life-saving potential in treating patients overexposed to the widely used cancer chemotherapy 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), according to clinical data to be presented June 7 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. see http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189546.php.

Wellstat Releases Investigational Drug Uridine Triacetate Clinical Results
By PBR Staff Writer Published 21 May 2010
Wellstat Therapeutics has released clinical results of its investigational drug Uridine triacetate for treating patients overexposed to the widely used cancer chemotherapy 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Wellstat Therapeutics said that while no antidote for 5-FU overexposure has been approved by regulatory authorities, Uridine triacetate (formerly known as vistonuridine) has been made available to physicians for emergency use. Wellstat Therapeutics' trial was made on 37 cases of 5-FU overexposure, all of them treated with Uridine triacetate. In all of these cases, the patients recovered from the overexposure, even though a fatal outcome for at least 27 of them would have been predicted by the dose and rate of 5-FU administration. In one extreme case, the patient survived after receiving a 5-FU dose 10 times higher than intended (10,000mg in three hours instead of 1,000mg in one hour). Reportedly, in all cases, the emergency treatment commenced as rapidly as possible after 5-FU overexposure (within 8 to 96 hours), depending on the timing of the request to Wellstat and the location of the treatment site.  Michael Bamat, vice president of research and development at Wellstat, said: “Since our first report on uridine triacetate at ASCO in 2009, the number of patients treated with this investigational antidote has more than doubled.”

Current developer:    Wellstat Therapeutics Corporation

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