Nedaplatin

From discovery to approval

1. c. 1983 · First described

   A 2013 review says the Shionogi Pharmaceutical Company in Japan developed nedaplatin (cis-diammine-glycolatoplatinum) in 1983. It keeps cisplatin's two ammine ligands but replaces the chloride groups with a glycolate group.^[1][2]

2. No approval is recorded on this site.

How it works

After the cell takes it up, the glycolate group is cleaved by hydrolysis, forming active platinum species that, like cisplatin, bind DNA and inhibit its duplication.^[1]

Where it came from and why

It was developed to give effectiveness similar to cisplatin with less kidney and gastrointestinal toxicity. A 1996 review reports less nausea and vomiting and less nephrotoxicity than cisplatin.

Cancers

• Head and neck cancer

  Listed among the indications approved on the basis of the phase II results in a 1996 review; the abstract does not name the country.^[2]

• Lung cancer (small cell and non-small cell)

  Listed among the approved indications; a randomised study in non-small-cell lung cancer compared nedaplatin with cisplatin, each with vindesine.^[2]

• Oesophageal cancer

  Listed among the approved indications in the 1996 review.^[2]

• Bladder cancer

  Listed among the approved indications in the 1996 review.^[2]

• Testicular tumours

  Listed among the approved indications in the 1996 review.^[2]

• Ovarian cancer

  Listed among the approved indications in the 1996 review.^[2]

• Cervical cancer

  Listed among the approved indications; a phase II study at a reduced dose gave a comparable response rate with less thrombocytopenia.^[2]

Family and partners

Derived from: Cisplatin

Worth knowing

• In a randomised study in non-small-cell lung cancer, nedaplatin plus vindesine and cisplatin plus vindesine gave no significant difference in response; kidney and gastrointestinal toxicity were significantly less with nedaplatin and thrombocytopenia was more frequent.^[2]
• A 2013 review notes that there was no phase III study of nedaplatin and that the drug is not commonly used throughout the world.^[1]
• A 2026 review lists nedaplatin as regionally approved in Japan in 1995.^[3]

References

1. Shimada M, Itamochi H, Kigawa J. Nedaplatin: a cisplatin derivative in cancer chemotherapy. Cancer Manag Res. 2013;5:67-76. PubMedDOI
2. Ota K. [Nedaplatin]. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 1996;23(3):379-87. PubMed
3. 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