EVALUATION OF S12363, A NOVEL VINCA ALKALOID DRUG IN THE TREATMENT OFADVANCED MALIGNANT-MELANOMA - A PHASE-II STUDY

We conducted a phase II study with the new vinca alkaloid derivative S 12363 in ten patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. Six patients had been pre-treated with other cytotoxic agents and all had received Vindesine. Four patients had no prior systemic treatment before entry into the study. S12363 was well tolerated subjectively, the main toxi city being haematological. Despite encouraging in vitro observations, no objective responses to S12363 have been documented in these patient s with the doses and schedule used in this study. S12363 appears to ha ve no clinically useful activity in metastatic malignant melanoma.