Dactinomycin is an anticancer medicine of microbial origin, given by injection. ChEMBL records its first approval in 1964, which makes it one of the older cancer drugs still listed, and the WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Index classifies it as L01DA01, among the actinomycines of the antineoplastic agents. The approved indication recorded for it is Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer of childhood. The World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list, from 2025, includes it in the complementary list. It is also known as actinomycin D, the name under which the queued entry for it was first filed.
Facts
Classification
Approval Status ATC ClassL: Antineoplastic and Immunomodulating Agents 2 Route of Administration WHO Essential Medicine First Approved / Isolated Year Connections
Treats
Source ChEMBL, EMBL-EBI: Dactinomycin approved indications (ChEMBL)
Sources
1. Dactinomycin (ChEMBL record)
ChEMBL molecule record, first_approval
"first_approval": 1964
ChEMBL molecule record, maximum phase and withdrawn flag
"max_phase": "4.0"
View the Source2. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, ATC/DDD Index: the WHO ATC/DDD Index entries named Dactinomycin
WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, ATC/DDD IndexATC/DDD Index entry; ATC class derived from cited code L01DA01 (main group L)Quote, ATC/DDD Index entry; ATC class derived from cited code L01DA01 (main group L)
L01DA01 dactinomycin
3. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed: DailyMed label: DACTINOMYCIN for injection
National Library of Medicine, DailyMedDactinomycin label, title sectionQuote, Dactinomycin label, title section
for injection, for intravenous use
4. World Health Organization: The selection and use of essential medicines, 2025: WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list
World Health OrganizationPDF page 34; section 8.2.1; the entry dactinomycin is in the Complementary List of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list (2025)Quote, PDF page 34; section 8.2.1; the entry dactinomycin is in the Complementary List of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list (2025)
dactinomycin − Ewing sarcoma
ChEMBL, EMBL-EBI: Dactinomycin approved indications (ChEMBL)
ChEMBL, EMBL-EBITreats: Wilms Tumor, drug_indication record, maximum phase 4, MeSH heading Wilms TumorQuote, Treats: Wilms Tumor, drug_indication record, maximum phase 4, MeSH heading Wilms Tumor
"max_phase_for_ind": "4.0", "mesh_heading": "Wilms Tumor", "molecule_chembl_id": "CHEMBL1554"
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.