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Zalcitabine

CHEMBL853 Phase 4 Approved Small molecule
Half-Life
—
Bioavailability
—
Protein Binding
—
Molecular Weight
211.2 g/mol
LogP
-1.3
Phase
4

Zalcitabine (ddC, 2',3'-dideoxycytidine) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that, after phosphorylation to its active triphosphate form, competitively inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and terminates nascent viral DNA chain elongation. It was one of the early antiretroviral agents approved for HIV/AIDS treatment. It is no longer clinically used due to its significant toxicity profile, including peripheral neuropathy and pancreatitis, and has been superseded by better-tolerated NRTIs.

Molecular Weight

211.2200 g/mol

LogP

-1.30

TPSA

88.20 Ų

Lipinski RO5

Pass

Therapeutic Areas

Cardiovascular Disease Colorectal Cancer Generalized Anxiety Disorder Gout Hepatitis C HIV/AIDS Leukemia Lymphoma Malaria Obesity Osteoporosis Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Tuberculosis

Mechanism of Action

Inhibits viral reverse transcriptase, blocking the conversion of viral RNA to DNA and preventing viral replication in infected host cells.

Pharmacokinetics (PK)

Pharmacodynamics (PD)

Mechanism

Inhibits viral reverse transcriptase, blocking the conversion of viral RNA to DNA and preventing viral replication in infected host cells.

2D Structure

SVG PNG

Cite this structure


                        

                            
                            
                        

                    

                


                
                

                    

                    

                        
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SMILES

                    
Nc1ccn([C@H]2CC[C@@H](CO)O2)c(=O)n1

                

                

                
                

                    
InChI

                    
InChI=1S/C9H13N3O3/c10-7-3-4-12(9(14)11-7)8-2-1-6(5-13)15-8/h3-4,6,8,13H,1-2,5H2,(H2,10,11,14)/t6-,8+/m0/s1

                

                

                

                    
                    

                        
Molecular Formula

                        
C9H13N3O3

                    

                    
                    

                        
HBD / HBA

                        
2 / 3

                    

                    
                    

                        
Rotatable Bonds

                        
2

                    

                    
                    
                    

                        
Heavy Atoms

                        
15

                    

                    
                

            


            
            

                
                


    
    
        
    
    
    
No targets recorded

    
    
Target interaction data is not yet available for this drug.

    



                
            


            
            

                
                


    
    
        
    
    
    
No interactions recorded

    
    
Drug interaction data is not yet available for this compound.

    



                
            


            
            

                
                


    
    
        
    
    
    
No side effects recorded

    
    
Side effect data is not yet available for this drug.

    



                
            


            
            
            

                
Frequently Asked Questions

                

                    
                    

                        
                        

                            
Zalcitabine (ddC, 2',3'-dideoxycytidine) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that, after phosphorylation to its active triphosphate form, competitively inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and terminates nascent viral DNA chain elongation. It was one of the early antiretroviral agents approved for HIV/AIDS treatment. It is no longer clinically used due to its significant toxicity profile, including peripheral neuropathy and pancreatitis, and has been superseded by better-tolerated NRTIs.

                        

                    

                    

                    

                    
                    

                        
                        

                            
Inhibits viral reverse transcriptase, blocking the conversion of viral RNA to DNA and preventing viral replication in infected host cells.

                        

                    

                    

                    

                    

                        
                        

                            
Yes, Zalcitabine is an approved drug. It has reached clinical phase 4. It is classified as a Small molecule.

                        

                    

                

            

            

            
            

            
            

            
            
{# References & Data Sources section for drug detail pages.
   Renders standard pharmacological database links plus the drug's data_sources field. #}


    
References & Data Sources

    
    
        
        
  • 
            
            
                ChEMBL — European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI).
                CHEMBL853.
                Open-access bioactivity database.
            
        
    • 
        
        
        
  • 
            
            
                PubChem — National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
                CID 24066.
                Chemical information database.
            
        
    • 
        
        
        
        
    

    
Data aggregated from publicly available pharmacological databases. Last updated 2026-03-28.




        


        
        
    


    



    
Medical Disclaimer

    

        This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making medication decisions.
    

    

        Data sources:
        ChEMBL,
        PubChem,
        DailyMed.