Phenformin Hydrochloride 114-86-3
Phenformin is an anti-diabetic drug from the biguanide class. It was marketed as DBI by Ciba-Geigy but was withdrawn from most markets in the late 1970s due to a high risk of lactic acidosis, which was fatal in 50% of cases. Phenformin was discovered in 1957 by Ungar, Freedman and Shapiro, working for the US Vitamin Corporation. Clinical trials began in 1958 which showed it to be effective but with gastrointestinal side effects. Phenformin sales began to decline in the US from 1973 due to negative trial studies and reports of lactic acidosis. By October 1976, the FDA Endocrinology and Metabolism Advisory Committee recommended phenformin be removed from the market. The FDA began formal proceedings in May 1977 leading to its eventual withdrawal in November 15 1978. In 1977, 385,000 patients with early-stage diabetes were taking phenformin in the US. Ralph Nader's Health Research Group put the US government under pressure to ban the drug. Ciba-Geigy Corp resisted, claiming there was no satisfactory alternative for many patients. However, in July the FDA declared the drug an "imminent hazard to the public health" and gave doctors 90 days to switch to an alternative treatment (such as insulin, dietary restrictions or other drugs). The related drug metformin is considerably safer than phenformin, with 3 cases of lactic acidosis per 100,000 patient-years compared to 64 cases per 100,000 patient-years, and those are mostly confined to patients with impaired renal function.
read more [+]| Systematic (IUPAC) name: | 2-(N-phenethylcarbamimidoyl)guanidine |
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| Phenformin Hydrochloride CAS number: | 114-86-3 |
| ATC code: | A10BA01 |
| PubChem: | 8249 |
| DrugBank: | APRD00511 |
| Formula: | C10H15N5 |
| Molecular mass: | 205.26 g/mol |
| Phenformin Hydrochloride Assay/Purity: | Typically NLT 98% |
