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Bending the Curve Trial by Trial
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Platinum compoundsUsed in a few countriesDerivative of an earlier drugNeeds review

Heptaplatin

Also known as SKI-2053R, Sunpla

A cisplatin derivative from SK Chemicals in South Korea (SKI-2053R, brand Sunpla), studied mainly in advanced gastric cancer. A 2026 review lists regional approval in South Korea in 1999.

From discovery to approval

  1. 1994 · First described

    A 1994 pharmacology report described SKI 2053R, the compound later called heptaplatin, as a new potential anticancer agent. A 1999 trial paper names SK Chemicals of South Korea as its source.[2][3][4][5]

  2. No approval is recorded on this site.

How it works

No heptaplatin-specific mechanism study was read. It is described as a cisplatin derivative, and a 2019 review expects cisplatin-like platinum drugs to act through a similar mechanism.[1]

Where it came from and why

Preclinical studies suggested it was active against cisplatin-resistant cell lines and less nephrotoxic than cisplatin.

Cancers

  • Advanced gastric cancer

    Tested alone in a phase II trial in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, which reported a 17% major response rate.[3]

Family and partners

Derived from: Cisplatin

Worth knowing

  • In a randomised phase III trial of 174 patients with advanced gastric cancer, median overall survival was 7.3 months with heptaplatin plus 5-FU and 7.9 months with cisplatin plus 5-FU (p=0.24); objective response was 34.2% versus 35.9% (p=0.78).[5]
  • In a phase II trial in 35 evaluable patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, 6 patients (17%; 95% CI 8-33%) achieved a major response; the most frequent toxicity was grade 1 or 2 proteinuria.[3]
  • A 2026 review lists heptaplatin as regionally approved in South Korea in 1999.[6]

References

  1. Makovec T. Cisplatin and beyond: molecular mechanisms of action and drug resistance development in cancer chemotherapy. Radiol Oncol. 2019;53(2):148-158. PubMedDOI
  2. Kim DK, Ahn JS, Ryu G, Kim KH, Park CW, Kim MS, et al. General pharmacology of cis-malonato[4R,5R)-4,5-bis-(aminomethyl)-2-isopropyl-1,3- dioxolane]platinum(II). Arzneimittelforschung. 1994;44(9):1080-8. PubMed
  3. Kim NK, Im SA, Kim DW, Lee MH, Jung CW, Cho EK, et al. Phase II clinical trial of SKI-2053R, a new platinum analog, in the treatment of patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. Cancer. 1999;86(7):1109-15. PubMedDOI
  4. Ryu MR, Paik SY, Chung SM. Combined effect of heptaplatin and ionizing radiation on human squamous carcinoma cell lines. Mol Cells. 2005;19(1):143-8. PubMed
  5. Lee KH, Hyun MS, Kim HK, Jin HM, Yang J, Song HS, et al. Randomized, multicenter, phase III trial of heptaplatin 1-hour infusion and 5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy comparing with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Cancer Res Treat. 2009;41(1):12-8. PubMedDOI
  6. Kamusheva MS, Varbanov HP. Current clinical applications and future developments of platinum-based anticancer drugs. J Biol Inorg Chem. 2026;31(6):469-488. PubMedDOI