Ganciclovir Triphosphate

Ganciclovir is a synthetic acyclic-DNA guanine derivative, where the C2' carbon bond is absent. Ganciclovir Triphosphate (ganciclovir-TP, GCV-TP), the active metabolite of ganciclovir, is thought to disrupt viral DNA synthesis by competitive inhibition of viral DNA polymerases and by incorporation into viral DNA, to result in eventual termination of viral DNA elongation. Ganciclovir was first published as 2'-Nor-2'-deoxyguanosine (2'NDG), with noted effectiveness in treating acute herpes simplex infections in mice. Recently it has been studied as an Epstein-Barr Virus treatment, as well as a prostate cancer, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) retinitis and CMV antigeemia preemptive treatment. The triphosphorylated form (GCV-TP) is an important control in this research.