Studies on Adenine Arabinoside—A Model for Antiviral Chemotherapeutics

Publisher Summary This chapter presents studies on adenine arabinoside (ara-A). It presents a model for antiviral chemotherapeutics. The initial laboratory and metabolic studies paved the way for limited field trials of ara-A. The clinical and virologic studies have been performed primarily at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. The patients selected for treatment came exclusively from a population in which viral infections were recognized as leading to potentially serious complications. Thus, these patients included organ transplant recipients, newborns, and those with underlying diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, or generalized malignancy, particularly, those receiving immunosuppressive therapy with steroids, antimetabolites, or radiation. The truly significant advantage of ara-A over its counterpart pyrimidine analogs is its virtual lack of acute toxicity. All patients treated with ara-A, to date, have been monitored serially for changes in biochemical and hematologic status.