# Uridine triacetate

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/uridine-triacetate/  
OnCo record `uridine-triacetate` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Uridine triacetate (Vistogard) is an oral antidote for fluorouracil or capecitabine overdose, or for dangerously early severe toxicity from these drugs, and must be started within four days of the chemotherapy.

## Summary

Uridine triacetate was approved by the FDA in December 2015 for emergency treatment of adults and children after a fluorouracil or capecitabine overdose regardless of symptoms, or with early-onset severe or life-threatening cardiac, neurological, gastrointestinal or haematological toxicity within 96 hours of the end of administration, on two open-label studies in which 96% of 135 treated patients survived compared with historical mortality of around 84% after overdose. The 96-hour window means it must be given before toxicity is fully manifest; it is not indicated for routine expected toxicity. Patients with DPD deficiency are a key group. Diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting are the main adverse effects. Developed by Wellstat and marketed by BTG, now SERB.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-24
- Also known as: Xuriden (hereditary orotic aciduria formulation)
- Tags: nci-list; supportive
- Brand: Vistogard
- Modality: Pyrimidine analogue antidote (oral)
- Mechanism: Acetylated prodrug of uridine; delivered uridine is converted to uridine triphosphate, which competes with fluorouracil metabolites for incorporation into RNA and restores normal pyrimidine pools.
- Approvals: US 2015: Emergency treatment after fluorouracil or capecitabine overdose or early-onset severe toxicity within 96 hours

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uridine_triacetate
- Vistogard Studies 1 and 2 (Cancer 2017): https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.30321
- US label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=269f7363-63ed-444e-85f1-f0009e44818b
- NCI drug page: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/uridinetriacetate

## Connected records

- drugs: [Capecitabine](https://onco.cc/drugs/capecitabine/), [Fluorouracil (5-FU)](https://onco.cc/drugs/fluorouracil/)
- companies: [SERB Pharmaceuticals](https://onco.cc/companies/serb-pharmaceuticals/)
- trials: [Vistogard Studies 1 and 2](https://onco.cc/trials/vistogard-studies-1-2/)
- key papers: [Emergency use of uridine triacetate for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine toxicity](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-vistogard-cancer-2017/)

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