Deutetrabenazine is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor used for the symptomatic treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington's disease. It is a hexahydro-dimethoxybenzoquinolizine derivative and a deuterated DB04844.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 2 references
The precise mechanism of action of deutetrabenazine in mediating its anti-chorea effects is not fully elucidated. Deutetrabenazine reversibly depletes the levels of monoamines, such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and histamine, from nerve terminals via its active metabolites. The major circulating metabolites are α-dihydrotetrabenazine [HTBZ] and β-HTBZ that act as reversible inhibitors of VMAT2. Inhibition of VMAT2 results in decreased uptake of monoamines into synaptic terminal and depletion of monoamine stores from nerve terminals.
Deutetrabenazine contains the molecule deuterium, which is a naturally-occurring, nontoxic hydrogen isotope but with an increased mass relative to hydrogen. Placed at key positions, deuterium forms a stronger hydrogen bond with carbon that requires more energy for cleavage, thus attenuating CYP2D6-mediated metabolism without having any effect on the therapeutic target.
- Primary indication
- Deutetrabenazine is indicated in adults patients for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and for chorea associated with Huntington's disease.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C19H27NO3 · 323.466 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- United States, 2017 · European Union, 2026
- Also known as
- D6 tetrabenazine · D6-tetrabenazine · Tetrabenazine D6 · Tetrabenazine-D6
- Code names
- SD-809
- Brand names
Resolves to
MKJIEFSOBYUXJB-WEZHFFAMSA-NSMILES[2H]C([2H])([2H])OC1=CC2=C(C=C1OC([2H])([2H])[2H])[C@@H]1CC(=O)[C@@H](CC(C)C)CN1CC2What you can answer from here — as of August 31, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Deutetrabenazine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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