prodrug

American  

[proh-druhg] / ˈproʊˌdrʌg /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. an inactive substance that is converted to a drug within the body by the action of enzymes or other chemicals.

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prodrug British  

/ ˈprəʊˌdrʌɡ /

noun

1. a compound that is itself biologically inactive but is metabolized in the body to produce an active therapeutic drug

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Etymology

Origin of prodrug

pro- ¹ + drug ¹

Example Sentences

It is a so-called prodrug, a substance that needs to be enzymatically activated in the bacterium to kill it.

From Science Daily

Therefore, the discovered molecules act as prodrug boosters, providing another alternative approach to the development of conventional antibiotics.

From Science Daily

The research team designed a novel photoactivatable prodrug nanosystem.

From Science Daily

The FA prodrug itself probably will not be pursued as a candidate drug to fight Pseudomonas infections, Geddes said.

From Science Daily

Gilead’s chemists in California made a crucial step toward making the compound work in animals and people: They turned the parent molecule into a prodrug, which means it is activated after it enters the body, and tweaked the compound further to make it more potent once it gets inside cells, Jordan and Bavari said.

From Washington Post