Emerging Metallopharmaceuticals for the Treatment of Cancer

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite breakthrough clinical therapies for the treatment of cancer using platinum and arsenic compounds, metal complexes have received relatively little attention from industrial anticancer drug discovery programs over the last few decades. The chemical diversity and versatility offered by metal complexes, arising from the choice of metal, oxidation state, redox state, number and type of ligands, coordination geometry, and their magnetic and optical properties, provides an opportunity to develop novel metallopharmaceuticals that can overcome some of the shortfalls associated with current state-of-the-art cancer treatments. Herein we highlight selected recent developments and novel ideas currently being explored by scientists to uncover the next generation of anticancer metallopharmaceuticals with clinically relevant efficacies.

Automated summary

Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, and despite breakthroughs in clinical therapies using platinum and arsenic compounds, metal complexes have been relatively overlooked in industrial anticancer drug discovery programs. However, the chemical diversity and versatility of metal complexes offer an opportunity to develop novel metallopharmaceuticals that can overcome shortcomings in current cancer treatments. Scientists are currently exploring new ideas and developments to uncover the next generation of anticancer metallopharmaceuticals with clinically relevant efficacies.