Arsenic trioxide is a chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of refractory or relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia in patients with prior retinoid and anthracycline chemotherapy. Arsenic trioxide is a chemotherapeutic agent of idiopathic function used to treat leukemia that is unresponsive to first line agents.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
The mechanism of action of Arsenic Trioxide is not completely understood. Arsenic trioxide causes morphological changes and DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis in NB4 human promyelocytic leukemia cells in vitro. Arsenic trioxide also causes damage or degradation of the fusion protein PML/RAR-alpha. It is suspected that arsenic trioxide induces cancer cells to undergo apoptosis.
- Primary indication
- For induction of remission and consolidation in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and whose APL is characterized by the presence of the t(15;17) translocation or PML/RAR-alpha gene expressionCurator reviewed · 6 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- As2O3 · 197.84 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2018 · United States, 2000 · European Union, 2020
- Also known as
- Arsenic oxide · Arsenic(III) oxide · Arsenolite · Arsenous oxide · Arsenous oxide anhydride
- Brand names
Resolves to
IKWTVSLWAPBBKU-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESO=[As]O[As]=OWhat you can answer from here — as of August 31, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Arsenic trioxide, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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