Daun02 is converted by β-galactosidase to Daunorubicin, which has been shown to reduce Ca2+-dependent action potentials in neuroblastoma cells [1]. Daun02 is a good substrate for β-galactosidase (β-gal) and it also is a topoisomerase inhibitor [2]. The concentration of Daun02 producing 50% (EC50) decrease in cell viability is 0.5 μM, 1.5 μM, and 3.5 μM for T47-D, Panc02, and MCF-7, respectively [3].

Daun02 is a good substrate for β-gal (Km and Vmax: 0.37 mM; protein: 8.6 μmol/min/mg). Daun02 is 79% bound to plasma protein compares to 94% for Daunomycin, at a concentration of 10 μM [3].