Fe(II)-Bleomycin is activated in air to form an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-active species, termed "activated bleomycin", that cleaves DNA, when present. When DNA is absent, the potential DNA cleavage activity is lost and the drug becomes self inactivated. A method is described for the preparation and purification of this self-inactivated product from bleomycin A2, together with some ...
