title: Synthetic analogs of antitumor drugs under development in Japan.
abstract: Synthetic studies on new antitumor drugs in Japan are mainly oriented toward analogs of known active structures. In the nitrosourea area ACNU, a pyrimidine analog of CCNU, is currently under clinical investigation and has myelosuppression as a side effect Nitrosoureas with a sugar moiety are of great interest and two compounds called GANU and MCNU are now ready for phase I study in Japan. Among new alkylating agents are included a series of bis-methanesulfonate of aminoglycols, an analog of cyclophosphamide called 4-hydroperoxy-cyclophosphamide, and aziridine derivatives which include the now commercially available carbazilquinone. In the antimetabolite field cyclocytidine is an analog of arabinosyl cytosine which has been extensively studied. A newer analog called N4-behenoyl-cytosine arabinoside is now being studied experimentally. In the fluorinated pyrimidine area Ftorafur has been extensively studied and a new compound FD-1 is of interest.
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D010984:Platinum / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010984:Platinum