This review will focus on the most recent patent-disclosed advances in iden
tifying new potent drugs for cancer chemotherapy since the subject was last
discussed in this journal in 1997, with the exception of fields that have
been subsequently covered by other more focused reviews in the same journal
.In particular we will summarise developments in the design and biochemical
and pharmacological evaluation of novel antineoplastic agents belonging to
the following classes: natural and fermentation products, DNA-targeted cyt
otoxic compounds, drugs for photodynamic therapy, non-taxane antimicrotubul
e agents, apoptosis modulators, enzymatic inhibitors, hormonal agents, mult
i-drug resistance reverters and antimetastatic drugs.