Abstract

Over the past four decades, the search for improved platinum drugs based on the classical platinum(II)- diam(m)ine pharmacophore has yielded only a handful of successful candidates. New methodologies centred on platinum( IV) complexes, with better stability and expanded coordination spheres, offer the possibility of overcoming limitations inherent to platinum(II) drugs. In this review, novel strategies of targeting and killing cancer cells using platinum( IV) constructs are discussed. These approaches exploit the unique electrochemical characteristics and structural attributes of platinum(IV) complexes as a means of developing anticancer prodrugs that can target and selectively destroy cancer cells. Anticancer platinum(IV) prodrugs represent promising new strategies as targeted chemotherapeutic agents in the ongoing battle against cancer.

Keywords: Cisplatin, anticancer prodrugs, platinum drugs, activation by reduction, targeted delivery, targeting and killing cancer cells, platinum(IV) constructs, electrochemical characteristics and, structural attributes of platinum(IV) complexes, Anticancer platinum(IV) prodrugs, targeted chemotherapeutic agents, potent antitumour agent, colorectal, non-small cell lung and genitourinary cancers