Development of Osmium-based Compounds as Anti-Cancer Drugs

Platinum-based compounds, such as cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are highly effective and Widely used anti-cancer drugs. Their uses however are often limited by side effects and development of drug resistance. To circumvent these difficulties, various other transitional metal complexes are being developed as new anti-cancer drugs. Recent publications and research at City University of Hong Kong have shown that several osmium-based compounds exhibit anti-cancer activities. We propose in this application to design and synthesize at least ten novel osmium-based compounds and to screen for their in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-cancer activities. Selected compounds will be evaluated for possible drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicity liabilities. The goal is to identify one patentable drug candidate for future drug development leading to clinical trials. The proposed studies will be conducted both at City University and at contract research organizations. This project combines unique expertise in osmium chemistry at City University and drug development experience at CK Life Sciences which provides a rare opportunity in Hong Kong to develop novel anti-cancer drugs competitively worldwide.