Used primarily in biochemical research as a rare sugar analog, D(-)-lyxose serves as a metabolic probe to study carbohydrate metabolism pathways. It is involved in the synthesis of nucleosides and modified sugars for pharmaceutical development. Due to its structural similarity to other pentoses, it acts as a precursor in the preparation of antiviral and anticancer agents. Additionally, it finds use in the study of enzyme specificity, particularly with isomerases and epimerases. Its low natural abundance makes it valuable for isotopic labeling experiments to trace metabolic flux in cells.