Curcumol is one of the major components of the essential oil of Rhizome Curcumae with the structure of sesquiterpenoid hemiketal. It exhibits characteristics such as antitumor, ant proliferation, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatic fibrosis, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities with low cytotoxicity. Curcumol suppresses the Breast Cancer Cells, Colorectal Cancer Cell Line, lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and others. However, its effect and mechanisms against tumor metastasis are still unclear. Recently was discovered a preliminary mechanism the suppression of breast cancer cell metastasis by curcumol. This mechanism suggested the inhibition of MMP-9 via JNK1/2 and Akt (Ser473)-dependent NF-κB signaling pathways.

Sapacitabine (also known as CYC-682) is an orally bioavailable 2′-deoxycytidine analog that is in clinical trials for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Sapacitabine is primarily metabolized by plasma, gut and liver amidases into the active metabolite CNDAC. This metabolite is subsequently transported inside cells and then phosphorylated by deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) into CNDAC triphosphate before being incorporated into cellular DNA. Sapacitabine participated in phase III clinical in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, it failed to meet its primary endpoint of the statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS). The drug has been also involved in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. In addition, in combination with olaparib the drug was studied in phase I/II trial as a possible treatment for breast cancer with a BRCA mutation. On July 1, 2010, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to the company’s sapacitabine for the treatment of both acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Tesevatinib (EXEL-7647 or XL647) was optimized as an inhibitor of a spectrum of growth-promoting and angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) to simultaneously block tumor growth and vascularization. In particular, Tesevatinib potently inhibits the EGF/ErbB2, VEGF, and ephrin RTK families. The drug is being developed by Kadmon Corporation under licence from Symphony Evolution (Symphony Capital Partners). Kadmon is developing tesevatinib for the treatment of autosomal polycystic kidney disease and solid cancers.

Icometasone (CL09) is a synthetic glucocorticoid corticosteroid. It is a metabolite of Mometasone Furoate. The binding on human serum albumin was shown to be non saturable, suggesting that other proteins were involved in CL09 binding. This binding was demonstrated to be reversible. CL09 was extensively metabolized since no unchanged CL09 was recovered in bile or urine and at least nine metabolites have been detected. It was studied in Europe as an anti-asthmatic agent but investigation is discontinued.

Puerarin (7, 4’-dihydroxyisolavone-8-β-glucopyranoside) is an active isoflavone extracted from the roots of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi. Puerarin is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, and is clinically used in China for the treatment of coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension and myocardial infarction. It has been reported that puerarin had therapeutic effects on diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis and myocardial ischemia in animals. Puerarin demonstrated beta-adrenergic receptor blocking effect. On the other hand, puerarin stimulated alpha1-adrenoreceptor to increase glucose uptake into cultured C2C12 cells of mice. Puerarin has been investigated for the treatment (phase II clinical trials) of Alcohol Abuse, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hypertension.

Gemcitabine elaidate is an ester of anticancer drug gemcitabine and elaidic fatty acid. The motivation to make an ester was to facilitate gemcitabine uptake and prolong retention in the cell. The drug is converted to parent compound gemcitabine both inside and outside the cell. Gemcitabine elaidate was developed by Clavis Pharma for treatment of solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, but its development was discontinued after product missed the primary endpoint in the Phase II LEAP trial to treat metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Galeterone (TOK-001, formerly called VN/124-1) is a potent anti-androgen with three modes of action. The compound acts as a specific androgen receptor antagonist, inhibits CYP17 lyase while conserving CYP17 hydroxylase function, and decreases overall androgen receptor levels in prostate cancer cells. Galeterone is a first in class, multi-targeted small-molecule drug that disrupts the growth and survival of prostate cancer cells. Tokai Pharmaceuticals is developing galeterone as an oral treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Phase III clinical development of galeterone is underway in the US, Canada, Australia, Western Europe, Spain and the United Kingdom.