Home > Oxaliplatin (Molecule of the Month for November 2005)

Picture of Oxaliplatin

click on the picture above to interact
with the 3D model of the
Oxaliplatin structure
(this will open a new browser window)
Picture of Oxaliplatin

C8H12N2O4Pt

ELOXATIN, an anticancer (chemotherapy) drug, is given with two other anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV), and is used to treat adults with stage III colon cancer after surgery to remove the tumor. ELOXATIN is also used to treat adults with advanced colorectal cancer.

It is a new platinum based drug. It has the large 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (DACH) bound to the platinum centre, and this bulky group prevents DNA repair mechanisms working correctly. The platinum centre binds to DNA strands and thus prevents DNA replication and transcription, and therefore slows cancer tumor growth.

Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)

References

http://www.eloxatin.com/

Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for November 2005 )