Tezacitabine is a cytostatic and cytotoxic antimetabolite and a nucleoside analogue. Tezacitabine irreversibly inhibits the ribonucleotide reductase and interferes with DNA replication and repair. Tezacitabine effectively induces cells apoptotic. Tezacitabine has the potential for leukemias and solid tumors (carcinomas) treatment[1][2].

Tezacitabine (0.01-10 µM; 24 hours; CCRF-SB, KG-1, Jurkat, COLO-205, MCF-7 and PC-3 cells) treatment induces the G1 and S-phase leaky block of the cell cycle[1].Tezacitabine (0.01-10 µM; 24 hours; CCRF-SB, KG-1, Jurkat, COLO-205, MCF-7 and PC-3 cells) treatment apoptotic death of cells by the caspase 3/7 pathway in a concentration-dependent manner[1].Tezacitabine has strong cytostatic and cytotoxic properties. Cytotoxic effect of Tezacitabine reveals not only as apoptosis, but also as a change in protein metabolism[1].

Tezacitabine (100 mg/kg; intraperitoneal injection; daily; female nude mice) treatment inhibits tumor growth in HCT 116 tumor xenografts[2].

[1]. Janusz S Skierski, et al. Tezacitabine Blocks Tumor Cells in G1 and S Phases of the Cell Cycle and Induces Apoptotic Cell Death. Acta Pol Pharm. May-Jun 2005;62(3):195-205.
[2]. Pietro Taverna, et al. Tezacitabine Enhances the DNA-directed Effects of Fluoropyrimidines in Human Colon Cancer Cells and Tumor Xenografts. Biochem Pharmacol. 2007 Jan 1;73(1):44-55.