Banoxantrone (dihydrochloride)

Banoxantrone (200 mg/kg) significantly enhances the tumor growth delay caused by radiation. This occurred when radiation is administered both as a single dose (12 Gy) and in a multifraction regimen (5x3 Gy). A study of the scheduling of Banoxantrone (AQ4N) administration shows that there is a very long time period over which a maximal effect can be elicited (drug given 4 days before to 6 h after radiation). These results suggest that Banoxantrone has significant potential as a bioreductive drug^[1]. The activation of banoxantrone cytotoxicity in vivo requires tumor hypoxia that is more extensive or prolonged than can readily be achieved by vasodilation or by antiangiogenic drug treatment^[2]. Incorporation of banoxantrone into conventional chemoradiation protocols therefore targets both oxygenated and hypoxic regions of tumors, and potentially will increase the effectiveness of therapy. A single dose of 60 mg/kg banoxantrone enhances the response of RT112 (bladder) and Calu-6 (lung) xenografts to treatment with cisplatin and radiation therapy. Banoxantrone will increase the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in preclinical models^[3].