Amrubicin Explained

Amrubicin (INN; previously known as SM-5887) is an anthracycline used in the treatment of lung cancer.^[1] It is marketed in Japan since 2002 by Sumitomo under the brand name Calsed.^[2]

Amrubicin acts by inhibiting topoisomerase II, and has been compared in clinical trials with topotecan, a Topoisomerase I inhibitor.^{[3] [4]}

It has also been studied for the treatment of bladder carcinoma^[5] and gastric cancer.^[6]

Amrubicin was the first anthracycline derivative created by de novo synthesis and was first published in 1989 by scientists from Sumitomo.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Ueoka H, Ohnoshi T, Kimura I . [New anthracycline analogues in the treatment of lung cancer] . ja . Gan to Kagaku Ryoho . 19 . 13 . 2146–9 . November 1992 . 1332624 .
2. Web site: Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. . 2003 . CALSED for Injection (English) . 2008-08-17.
3. Web site: Celgene Corporation . 2008 . Amrubicin(R) Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for the Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer . https://archive.today/20130119043057/http://ir.celgene.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=111960&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1121403&highlight . dead . 2013-01-19 . 2009-07-10 .
4. Web site: Medical News Today . 2007 . Pharmion's Amrubicin Shows Encouraging Results Compared To Standard Of Care In Second Line Treatment Of Small Cell Lung Cancer . 2009-07-10.
5. Ohmori H, Tsushima T, Kobashi K . [Experimental studies on intravesical instillation of SM-5887, a novel anthracycline derivative for treatment of bladder carcinoma] . ja . Gan to Kagaku Ryoho . 23 . 5 . 601–6 . April 1996 . 8678519 .
6. Tsushima K, Sakata Y, Munakata A . [A phase II study of SM-5887 for advanced gastric cancer] . ja . Gan to Kagaku Ryoho . 18 . 7 . 1151–4 . June 1991 . 1647150 . etal.
7. Hanada M. Amrubicin, Chapter 6 in Case Studies in Modern Drug Discovery and Development. Eds. Huang X and Aslanian RG. John Wiley & Sons, 2012 P 106