Rodorubicin, a new tetraglycosidic anthracycline

Rodorubicin is a new tetraglycosidic anthracycline, which was detected because of its activity against human tumors in a human tumor based screening system. Rodorubicin is not active in the typical animal transplantation tumors and might therefore be a new leading structure with preferential activity against slow proliferating human tumors. In spite the fact that Rodorubicin is a chemical anthracycline, the drug has an untypical spectrum of activity and toxicity when compared to standard anthracyclines. The drug is not toxic to bone marrow in animals or humans, however, the dose limiting toxicity is delayed nephrotoxicity in all species, starting with proteinuria and finally clearance reduction. Rodorubicin might be an interesting new candidate for further clinical evaluation and is the first drug being developed clinically in spite its inactivity in animal transplantation tumor systems.