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.