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Tetrabenazine is a drug that was introduced in the 1950s as a tranquilizer. Since then it has been used to treat diseases such as Huntington鈥檚 chorea, Tourette syndrome, and hemiballismus.
This year, Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva introduced an improved version of tetrabenazine: a聽. The six deuterium atoms are shown in green in the 3-D image.
The new drug takes advantage of the hydrogen鈥揹euterium kinetic isotope effect, in which replacing hydrogen with deuterium slows the decomposition rate and allows it to remain in the body longer than the original.
In April, the US Food and Drug Administration approved deutetrabenazine for treating Huntington鈥檚 chorea. It is the first deuterated drug approved by the agency.
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