Levels of 2'-deoxycoformycin, adenosine, and deoxyadenosine in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

2'-Deoxycoformycin (dCF), a potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, has recently undergone Phase I clinical trials and has been found to be therapeutically active in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In this report, levels of dCF in plasma, plasma concentrations of adenosine and deoxyadenosine, and urine levels of deoxyadenosine were measured in leukemic patients undergoing treatment with dCF during a Phase I clinical trial. dCF was administered i.v. at a dose of 0.25 to 1.0 mg/kg (7.5 to 30 mg/sq m) for 3 consecutive days. Plasma drug levels of 2 to 6 microM were observed following the third dose of dCF, and drug accumulation occurred only at the 1-mg/kg dosage. In this limited series of patients, the plasma concentrations of adenosine and deoxyadenosine and the urine concentrations of deoxyadenosine did not show an obvious correlation with dCF dose, therapeutic response, or toxicity.