Triciribine is a purine analogue which inhibits DNA and protein synthesis, it is a synthetic tricyclic nucleoside which acts as a specific inhibitor of the Akt signaling pathway. It selectively inhibits the phosphorylation and activation of Akt1, -2 and -3 but does not inhibit Akt kinase activity nor known upstream Akt activators such as PI 3-Kinase and PDK1. It inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis preferentially in cells that express aberrant Akt1. In whole cells triciribine is phosphorylated by adenosine kinase which may be necessary for its activity. Triciribine is a cancer drug which was first synthesised in the 1970s and trialled clinically in the 1980s and 1990s without success. Following the discovery in the early 2000s that the drug would be effective against tumours with hyperactivated Akt, it is now again under consideration in a variety of cancers. As PTX-200, the drug is currently in two early stage clinical trials in breast cancer and ovarian cancer being conducted by the small molecule drug development company Prescient Therapeutics.

Pirarubicin is a new kind of anthracene nucleus broad-spectrum antitumor antibiotic. This compound was rapidly incorporated into tumor cells, inhibiting DNA polymerase alpha, DNA topoisomerase II and subsequently DNA synthesis. Inhibition of RNA synthesis was also noted. It is indicated as an antineoplastic agent for the treatment of the following diseases: head and neck cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, urothelial cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma. Among the side effects, cardiac toxicity, alopecia and disturbance of the digestive organs were mild.