F2BMET (redaporfin or LUZ11), a fluorinated sulfonamide bacteriochlorin, is photosensitizer, with antineoplastic activity upon photodynamic therapy. F2BMET is a third generation bacteriochlorin molecule which has a greater ability to absorb light and convert it into active molecular species (reactive oxygen species), better depth penetration, and improved efficacy. F2BMET has promising Phase I/IIA POC clinical data in advanced head and neck cancer which clearly reinforces the favorable results from non-clinical studies. It has received Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from EMA in Europe for Biliary tract cancer.

Nitroarginine (LNNA), an analog of L-arginine, is a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase which has been shown to prevent glutamate toxicity. Nitroarginine has been experimentally tested for its ability to prevent ammonia toxicity and ammonia-induced alterations in brain energy and ammonia metabolites. The Kd value (k(off)/k(on)) of bovine brain cNOS for LNNA was 15 nM. In contrast to the potent and slow onset of LNNA inhibition of brain cNOS, LNNA inhibition of inducible mouse macrophage NOS (iNOS) was weaker (Ki = 4.4 uM) and rapidly reversible. Thus, LNNA was a 300-fold more potent inhibitor of bovine brain cNOS than mouse macrophage iNOS. By inhibiting nitric oxide synthase LNNA causes the selective reduction of blood flow to tumor cells. Despite the potential of LNNA to function as an adjuvant in cancer therapies, its poor solubility and stability have hindered the development of an injectable formulation of LNNA that is suitable for human administration.

Mevastatin (compactin or ML-236B) is an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. This drug induces apoptosis and arrest of cancer cells in G1 phase. Therapeutic effects of mevastatin on serum level of lipoproteins and unbiquinone-10 in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia were investigated. However, that study was discontinued. In addition, mevastatin was investigated for the treatment of melanoma. It was suggested, that mevastatin was unlikely to prevent melanoma at standard doses. However, higher doses could have a role to play in adjuvant therapy by inhibiting growth and invasion of melanoma cells. Also was revealed, that mevastatin increased histone deacetylase inhibitor, LBH589-induced cell death in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells.

A small molecule, multi-target kinase inhibitor, 4SC-203 (formerly SC-71710), was being developed by 4SC AG for the treatment of cancer, with an focus on acute myeloid leukaemia. 4SC-203 selectively inhibits FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3/STK1), FLT3 mutated forms, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs). This may result in the inhibition of angiogenesis and cell proliferation in tumor cells in which these kinases are upregulated. FLT3 (FLK2), a class III tyrosine kinase receptor, is overexpressed or mutated in most B lineage and acute myeloid leukemias (AML). VEGFRs, tyrosine kinase receptors, are overexpressed in a variety of tumor cell types and play key roles in angiogenesis. 4SC has discontinued the development of 4SC-203 (formerly SC-71710), the lead in a series of Flt-3, VEGF protein kinase and aurora kinase A and B inhibitors, for the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) as the personnel and financial resources have been allocated preferentially to the development of resminostat.