acadesine

Acadesine is a purine nucleoside analog and a precursor in nucleotide biosynthesis, primarily investigated for its anti-ischemic properties. It acts as an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonist, stimulating glucose uptake and modulating cellular metabolism. Acadesine has been studied for the prevention of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, as well as for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), multiple myeloma, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and other conditions. Its mechanism involves activation of AMPK and the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase/Akt pathway, leading to anti-inflammatory effects and selective induction of apoptosis in B-cells with minimal impact on T-cells. The drug was developed by several companies including PeriCor, Schering-Plough (now part of Merck & Co.), Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Advancell, SICOR, AdvanCell, Groupe Francophone des Myelodysplasies. Despite reaching Phase III trials for cardiac indications and receiving orphan drug status for certain hematologic malignancies in the EU/US, development has been discontinued across all major indications due to various factors including limited oral bioavailability[1][2][3][4][7][8].

Brand names

Acadra

Other names

acadesine