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Details

Stereochemistry ABSOLUTE
Molecular Formula C27H29NO11
Molecular Weight 543.5193
Optical Activity UNSPECIFIED
Defined Stereocenters 6 / 6
E/Z Centers 0
Charge 0

SHOW SMILES / InChI
Structure of EPIRUBICIN

SMILES

COC1=C2C(=O)C3=C(O)C4=C(C[C@](O)(C[C@@H]4O[C@H]5C[C@H](N)[C@@H](O)[C@H](C)O5)C(=O)CO)C(O)=C3C(=O)C2=CC=C1

InChI

InChIKey=AOJJSUZBOXZQNB-VTZDEGQISA-N
InChI=1S/C27H29NO11/c1-10-22(31)13(28)6-17(38-10)39-15-8-27(36,16(30)9-29)7-12-19(15)26(35)21-20(24(12)33)23(32)11-4-3-5-14(37-2)18(11)25(21)34/h3-5,10,13,15,17,22,29,31,33,35-36H,6-9,28H2,1-2H3/t10-,13-,15-,17-,22-,27-/m0/s1

HIDE SMILES / InChI

Description

Epirubicin is an anthracycline cytotoxic agent, is a 4'-epi-isomer of doxorubicin. The compound is marketed by Pfizer under the trade name Ellence in the US. It is indicated as a component of adjuvant therapy in patients with evidence of axillary node tumor involvement following resection of primary breast cancer. Although it is known that anthracyclines can interfere with a number of biochemical and biological functions within eukaryotic cells, the precise mechanisms of epirubicin’s cytotoxic and/or antiproliferative properties have not been completely elucidated. It is known, that epirubicin forms a complex with DNA by intercalation of its planar rings between nucleotide base pairs, with consequent inhibition of nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) and protein synthesis. Such intercalation triggers DNA cleavage by topoisomerase II, resulting in cytocidal activity. Epirubicin also inhibits DNA helicase activity, preventing the enzymatic separation of double-stranded DNA and interfering with replication and transcription. Epirubicin is also involved in oxidation/reduction reactions by generating cytotoxic free radicals.

CNS Activity

Originator

Approval Year

Targets

Primary TargetPharmacologyConditionPotency

Conditions

ConditionModalityTargetsHighest PhaseProduct
Primary
ELLENCE

Cmax

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
5.7 μg/mL
60 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens
9.3 μg/mL
150 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens

AUC

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
1.6 μg × h/mL
60 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens
4.2 μg × h/mL
150 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens

T1/2

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
35.3 h
60 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens
31.1 h
150 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens

Funbound

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
23%
60 mg/m² single, intravenous
EPIRUBICIN plasma
Homo sapiens

Doses

AEs

PubMed

Sample Use Guides

In Vivo Use Guide
Injection is administered to patients by intravenous infusion. Drug is given in 14 repeated 3- to 4-week cycles. The total dose may be given on Day 1 of each cycle 15 or divided equally and given on Days 1 and 8 of each cycle. The recommended starting dose is 100 to 120 mg/m2.
Route of Administration: Intravenous
In Vitro Use Guide
It was investigated the effect of combined treatment with the anthracycline agent epirubicin (EPI) and NK cells on human breast cancer cells. NK cells were obtained by autologous adoptive cell transfer from breast cancer patients and amplified for 14 days in vitro. The cytotoxicity of NK cells against breast cancer cells was higher following EPI (5.0 μg/ml) pretreatment than without EPI pretreatment or application of EPI alone. The expression of NKG2D ligands [unique long 16-binding protein (ULBP) 1, ULBP2, and major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A] in breast cancer cells was upregulated by pretreatment with EPI, which also increased the secretion of interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α and expression of perforin and granzyme B in NK cells. These results indicate that EPI-NK cell treatment has synergistic cytotoxic effects against breast cancer cells, and suggest that anthracycline-based chemotherapy and NK cell-based immunotherapy can be combined for more effective breast cancer treatment.