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disulfiram

Trade name: antabuse

Small moleculeapproved

Approved

Aug 28, 1951

Disulfiram is a carbamate derivative used as an alcohol deterrent. It is a relatively nontoxic substance when administered alone, but markedly alters the intermediary metabolism of alcohol. Disulfiram blocks the oxidation of alcohol at the acetaldehyde stage during alcohol metabolism following disulfiram intake causing an accumulation of acetaldehyde in the blood producing highly unpleasant symptoms. Disulfiram blocks the oxidation of alcohol through its irreversible inactivation of aldehyde dehydrogenase, which acts in the second step of ethanol utilization. In addition, disulfiram competitively binds and inhibits the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, which may indicate some value in the treatment of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, however this activity has not been extensively studied. Used for the treatment and management of chronic alcoholism. — NCATS

Clinical trial activity

55 trials · 69 clinical orgs · 12 marketing orgs

Phase 1
26
Phase 2
28
Phase 3
2
Phase 4
5

Earliest trial started Sep 1, 1994 (NCT00000278)

Timeline

1950s

  1. Aug 28, 1951

    Teva — Earliest FDA Approval

  2. Aug 28, 1951

    Teva — NDA Secondary Org

  3. Aug 28, 1951

    Teva — NDA Organization

1980s

  1. Mar 31, 1981

    Watson Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  2. Mar 31, 1981

    Teva — Marketing Organization

  3. Dec 8, 1983

    Odyssey Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  4. Aug 14, 1984

    Par Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  5. Aug 14, 1984

    Strides Pharma Science — Marketing Organization

1990s

  1. Jan 1, 1994

    Earliest Phase 2 Sponsor(trial)

2000s

  1. Jan 1, 2002

    Earliest Phase 1 Sponsor(trial)

2010s

  1. Mar 28, 2011

    Sigmapharm Laboratories — Marketing Organization

  2. Dec 31, 2012

    Chartwell Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  3. Aug 8, 2013

    Alvogen — Marketing Organization

  4. Feb 5, 2014

    West-Ward Pharmaceutical — Marketing Organization

  5. Feb 5, 2014

    Hikma — Marketing Organization

  6. Mar 4, 2015

    Mylan — Marketing Organization

  7. Mar 4, 2015

    Dash Pharms — Marketing Organization

Indications

Approved for

Studied for

Mechanism of action

Approval history

  • approvedPriority reviewAug 28, 1951

Chemistry & pharmacology

Loading structure…

SMILES

CCN(CC)C(=S)SSC(=S)N(CC)CC
Mol. weight
296.539 g/mol
Lipinski Ro5
Pass
Rule of 3
No
Chirality
Achiral Molecule
Inorganic
No
Polymer
No
Delivery
Oral
Availability
Prescription Only

Oral

Yes

Parenteral

No

Topical

No

Black box warning

Sources

Also known as

  • 1,1'-dithiobis(n,n-diethylthioformamide)
  • 1,1'-dithiobis(n,n-diethylthioformamide)
  • ant-1403
  • antabuse
  • antabuse
  • antabuse
  • antabuse
  • antabuse (tn)
  • antabuse (tn)
  • bis(diethylthiocarbamoyl) disulfide
  • bis(diethylthiocarbamoyl) disulfide
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • disulfiram
  • esperal
  • esperal
  • n,n,n',n'-tetraethylthiuram disulfide
  • n,n,n',n'-tetraethylthiuram disulfide
  • nsc-25953
  • nsc-25953
  • ora102
  • tetraethylthioperoxydicarbonic diamide
  • tetraethylthioperoxydicarbonic diamide
  • tetraethylthiram disulfide
  • tetraethylthiuram disulfide
  • tetraethylthiuram disulfide
  • tetraethylthiuram disulphide
  • tetraethylthiuram disulphide

Clinical trials

NCT IDPhaseStart dateSponsor(s)
NCT06793488Early Phase 1 (Phase 1)Mar 1, 2025Columbia University, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
NCT06319872Phase 1Nov 1, 2024University of Rochester
NCT05667415N/AJun 1, 2023First People's Hospital of Hangzhou, Zhejiang University
NCT05626920Phase 1/Phase 2 (Phase 2)Jan 31, 2023University of Washington
NCT05210374Phase 1Dec 31, 2022Case Western Reserve University, University of Rochester
NCT05162001Early Phase 1 (Phase 1)Nov 21, 2021Laboratorios Doctor Macías, Universidad de Guanajuato
NCT04521335Phase 1Dec 31, 2020Cantex Pharmaceuticals, University of Utah
NCT04485130Phase 2Dec 1, 2020University of California, San Francisco
NCT04594343Phase 2Nov 20, 2020Augusto Mota, Spring Research Foundation
NCT04502589Phase 1/Phase 2 (Phase 2)Oct 15, 2020National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Virginia Commonwealth University
NCT04265274Phase 2Jan 1, 2020National Cancer Institute, Slovakia
NCT03714555Phase 2Jun 30, 2019Cantex Pharmaceuticals, HonorHealth Research Institute
NCT03950830Phase 2May 14, 2019National Cancer Institute, Slovakia
NCT03891667Phase 1/Phase 2 (Phase 2)Apr 1, 2019Columbia University, FDC Foundation, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
NCT03363659Phase 2Mar 28, 2018University of Wisconsin
NCT03323346Phase 2Sep 29, 2017Palacky University, The Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Republic
NCT03198559Phase 1/Phase 2 (Phase 2)Aug 8, 2017Merck, Monash University, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne
NCT03151772Early Phase 1 (Phase 1)Aug 1, 2017University of Gothenburg
NCT03034135Phase 2Mar 9, 2017Cantex Pharmaceuticals, Washington University in St. Louis
NCT02963051Phase 1Feb 1, 2017Duke University, Give 1 For Dad Campaign, Peter Michael Foundation, V Foundation
Showing 20 of 55 trials
Page 1 / 3

Organizations

Research & Development (69)

OrganizationOrg typeTrialsAs lead sponsorPhasesEarliest year
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)Government10231994
Yale UniversityAcademic/Hospital6431994
Columbia UniversityAcademic/Hospital4341999
University of California, San FranciscoAcademic/Hospital4432008
Cantex PharmaceuticalsFor profit3122017
Hoosier Cancer Research NetworkAcademic/Hospital3312001
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)Government3032009
University of UtahAcademic/Hospital3322008
Washington University in St. LouisAcademic/Hospital3222013
Baylor UniversityAcademic/Hospital2112005
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer CenterAcademic/Hospital2012002
Hebrew UniversityAcademic/Hospital2122006
Johns Hopkins UniversityAcademic/Hospital2112010
Monash UniversityAcademic/Hospital2012013
National Cancer Institute, SlovakiaGovernment2212019
University of California, IrvineAcademic/Hospital2212002
University of GothenburgAcademic/Hospital2222017
University of RochesterAcademic/Hospital2112022
University of UlmAcademic/Hospital2122016
AmFARAcademic/Hospital1012013
69 organizations
Page 1 / 4

Marketing (17)

OrganizationOrg typeRelationshipDate
AlvogenFor profitMKTGAug 8, 2013
AlvogenFor profitSYNAug 8, 2013
Chartwell PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGDec 31, 2012
Dash PharmsFor profitMKTGMar 4, 2015
HikmaFor profitMKTGFeb 5, 2014
HikmaFor profitSYNFeb 5, 2014
MylanFor profitMKTGMar 4, 2015
MylanFor profitSYNMar 4, 2015
Odyssey PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGDec 8, 1983
Par PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGAug 14, 1984
Sigmapharm LaboratoriesFor profitMKTGMar 28, 2011
Strides Pharma ScienceFor profitMKTGAug 14, 1984
TevaFor profitNDA2Aug 28, 1951
TevaFor profitMKTGMar 31, 1981
TevaFor profitNDAAug 28, 1951
Watson PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGMar 31, 1981
West-Ward PharmaceuticalFor profitMKTGFeb 5, 2014