AGY1

AGY1 is a novel pyrimidine nucleoside and a derivative of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) being investigated for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Developed by researchers at Florida A&M University, AGY1 is synthesized by conjugating alkyl and tetrahydrofuran groups to the 5-FU ring. In preclinical studies presented at AACR 2024, AGY1 demonstrated enhanced anticancer activity compared to parent 5-FU against pancreatic cancer cell lines (MiaPaCa-2 and PANC-1) and in 3D organoid/spheroid models. Its mechanism of action involves the induction of apoptosis, characterized by the upregulation of p53 and BAX proteins and the downregulation of PARP. AGY1 also shows improved metabolic stability compared to 5-FU, although it is often evaluated alongside AGY2, which has shown even greater potency and stability.

Other names

5-FU analog5-fluorouracil derivative