Development of oncological therapeutic agents - Current state and outlook with special regard to the situation in Germany

The development of oncological therapeutic agents is a complex and risky pr ocess and it is mainly pursued by research-based pharmaceutical companies. Academic and public research institutions, however, have contributed to the finding and evaluation of basic scientific knowledge, which were transferr ed to the industry for co-development. Since 1960 increasing regulatory dem ands have caused a prolonged development time and dramatical multiplication of costs. Oncological research in Germany began shortly after the end of war, when Pa yer worked on the ethyleneimino compounds with agents like E39 and trenimon for therapeutical use. Early in the fifties this focus of research changed to Asta-Werke, Bielefeld (later ASTA Medica, Frankfurt) where cyclophospha mide (Endoxan(R), Cytoxan(R)), ifosfamide (Holoxan(R), Ifexo) and trofosfam ide were developed as worldwide leading alkylating cytotoxic agents. The de tection of mesna (Uromitexan(R), Mesnex(R)) used for the organospecific det oxification of urotoxic metabolites caused a further increase of the cancer otoxic selectivity and an improved safety of oxazaphosphorine therapy. Ther e has been ongoing research on alkylating agents (mafosfamide, glufosfamide ), and new therapeutic principles like miltefosine (Miltex(R)) or hormonal agents like cetrorelix (LHRH-antagonist) are in development.