Lobaplatin: D 19466

Lobaplatin [D 19466] is a platinum complex with DNA alkylating activity that was developed by ASTA Medica (Degussa) for the treatment of cancer. ASTA Medica discontinued development of lobaplatin, and subsequent development of the compound became the responsibility of Zentaris AG (AEterna Laboratories), which was formed in 2001 from the biopharmaceutical, inhalation technology and gene therapy activities of ASTA Medica. On 30 December 2002, Zentaris was acquired by AEterna Laboratories. Cisplatin, one of the original platinum compounds, has had a major impact on the treatment of solid tumours such as germ cell cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer and bronchial carcinoma, but its clinical usefulness is limited by renal, neurological and gastrointestinal toxicity. This has led to the development of second- and third-generation platinum analogues, such as lobaplatin, with reduced toxicity and a better therapeutic index. In January 2003, Zentaris AG and Hainan Tianwang International Pharmaceutical signed a contract for the manufacture and marketing of lobaplatin in China. The technology transfer agreement provides for Zentaris to receive a one-time payment to the amount of 4.5 million Canadian dollars. In addition, the contract foresees for Tianwang to manufacture and deliver lobaplatin to Zentaris or its partners for marketing in all other countries worldwide. Lobaplatin has been approved in China for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) and inoperable, metastatic breast and small cell lung cancer. However, it has not yet been launched there. In June 2003, AEterna reported that it expects lobaplatin to be launched in China by the end of 2003 at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO-2003). Lobaplatin has also completed phase II clinical trials in the US, Australia, EU, Brazil and South Africa for the treatment of various cancers, including breast, oesophageal, lung and ovarian cancers as well as CML.