CGP 6809--a new nitrosoureido-sugar derivative with activity in human tumor xenografts.

CGP 6809 [ethyl-6-deoxy-3,5-di-O-methyl-6-(3-methyl-3-nitrosoureido)-alpha-D- glucofuranoside] is a new methylnitrosoureido-sugar derivative that has been shown to be active against a broad spectrum of transplantable tumours in mice and rats. We investigated the anti-tumour effect of CGP 6809 in ten selected, human tumour xenograft lines growing s.c. in nude mice. The p.o. administration of 125 mg/kg per day for 10-15 days was less toxic (lethality 12% in tumour-bearing nude mice) than the i.p. injection of 62.5 mg/kg per day (lethality 22%). The anti-tumour effect was similar for both application routes; two large bowel cancers responded to treatment with CGP 6809, rectal cancer CXF 158 showed a remission, and the rapidly growing, undifferentiated colonic cancer CXF 280 exhibited a transient no-change. Furthermore, remissions were observed in the epidermoid lung cancer LXF 322 and in thyroid cancer 117. Tumour progression was found in another epidermoid lung cancer and in three stomach cancers, one melanoma, and one soft tissue sarcoma. CGP 6809 is a promising new agent for clinical trials, especially for large bowel and epidermoid lung cancer.