[In Process Citation]

The development of oncological therapeutic agents is a complex and risky process and it is mainly pursued by research-based pharmaceutical companies. Academic and public research institutions, however, have contributed to the finding and evaluation of basic scientific knowledge, which were transferred to the industry for co-development. Since 1960 increasing regulatory demands have caused a prolonged development time and dramatical multiplication of costs. Oncological research in Germany began shortly after the end of war, when Bayer worked on the ethyleneimino compounds with agents like E39 and trenimon for therapeutical use. Early in the fifties this focus of research changed to Asta-Werke, Bielefeld (later ASTA Medica, Frankfurt) where cyclophosphamide (Endoxan, Cytoxan), ifosfamide (Holoxan, Ifex) and trofosfamide were developed as worldwide leading alkylating cytotoxic agents. The detection of mesna (Uromitexan, Mesnex) used for the organospecific detoxification of urotoxic metabolites caused a further increase of the cancerotoxic selectivity and an improved safety of oxazaophosphorine therapy. There has been ongoing research on alkylating agents (mafosfamide, glufosfamide), and new therapeutic principles like miltefosine (Miltex) or hormonal agents like cetrorelix (LHRH-antagonist) are in development.