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DAVA: Full Drug Profile

Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026

DAVA - General Information

Vinblastine derivative with antineoplastic activity against cancer. Major side effects are myelosuppression and neurotoxicity. DAVA is used extensively in chemotherapy protocols (antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols). [PubChem]

 

Pharmacology of DAVA

DAVA is indicated for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia of childhood that is resistant to vincristine and non-oat cell lung cancer.DAVA causes the arrest of cells in metaphase mitosis. It is three times more potent than vincristine and nearly 10 times more potent than vinblastine in causing mitotic arrest in in vitro studies at doses designed to arrest from 10 to 15% of the cells in mitosis. DAVA and vincristine are approximately equipotent at dose levels that arrest 40 to 50% of the cells in mitosis. Unlike vinblastine, vindesine produces very few postmetaphase cells. DAVA has demonstrated activity in patients who have relapsed while receiving multiple-agent treatment that included vincristine.

 

DAVA for patients

The treatmewnt with Vindesine can cause hair, but it is usually reversible. It may also cause loss of sensation or tingling in hands or feet, fever, chill, sore throat, constipation, black stool, bruising or bleeding.

Patients should be informed that the major acute toxicities of Vindesine are related to bone marrow toxicity, specifically granulocytopenia with increased susceptibility to infection. They should be advised to report fever or chills immediately. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment. Patients should be advised to contact their physician if they experience increased shortness of breath, cough, or other new pulmonary symptoms, or if they experience symptoms of abdominal pain or constipation.

 

DAVA Interactions

Vindesine can interact with the drugs of the following categories:

  • Blood dyscrasia: can cause unpredictable myelotoxicity
  • Bone marrow depressants: can cause a predictable dose-related myelotoxicity
  • Radiation therapy: may cause marrow depression
  • Neurotoxic medications: can cause neurologic toxicity
  • Phenytoin: can increase seizure activity
  • Live virus vaccines: may potentiate the replication of the vaccine virus, may increase the side effects of the vaccination, and decrease patient's response to the vaccine
  • Mitomycin-C: may cause shortness of breath and bronchospasm
  • Killed virus vaccines: may decrease patient's response to the vaccine

 

DAVA Contraindications

Vindesine is contraindicated in patients who are known hypersensitive to Vindesine, vinca alkaloids, or any component of the formulation.

 

Additional information about DAVA

DAVA Indication: For the treatment of acute leukaemia, malignant lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, acute erythraemia and acute panmyelosis Mechanism Of Action: DAVA acts by causing the arrest of cells in metaphase mitosis through its interaction with tubulin. The drug is cell-cycle specific for the S phase. Drug Interactions: Not Available Food Interactions: Not Available Generic Name: Vindesine Synonyms: Vindesine Sulfate; Desacetylvinblastine Amide Sulfate Drug Category: Antineoplastic Agents Drug Type: Small Molecule; Approved Other Brand Names containing Vindesine: DAVA; Eldesine; Eldisine; Absorption: Not Available Toxicity (Overdose): Not Available Protein Binding: 65-75% Biotransformation: Hepatic Half Life: 24 hours. Dosage Forms of DAVA: Solution Intravenous Chemical IUPAC Name: Not Available Chemical Formula: C43H55N5O7 Vindesine on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindesine Organisms Affected: Humans and other mammals