Discovery, mechanism and expected clinical significance of selective cytotoxicity of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA).

2-Chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA) is a new promising antileukemic and immusuppressive agent. Discovery of 2-CdA and its unique properties, methods of synthesis, data explaining mechanism of its selective cytotoxicity, and current clinical status of the drug are briefly reviewed.