Platinum drugs represented by cisplatin and oxaliplatin have strong broad-spectrum anticancer activity. However, such drugs often induce serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and bone marrow suppression, and are prone to cause inherent and acquired drug resistance following medication, which significantly limits the efficacy and safety of their clinical use. Therefore, for the treatment of tumor, it is urgent to develop new platinum drugs that can reduce toxic side effects and overcome drug resistance.

Based on the design concept of “efficacy enhancing and toxicity reduction”, the team led by Professor Shi Kai of the College of Pharmacy introduced functional peptide-based ligands on the mother nucleus of divalent platinum drugs for the first time, and designed and synthesized a new peptide-based platinum prodrug (Peplatin). It can become 80-150nm carrier-free nanostructures through self-assembly in physiological media, and rapidly release active platinum parent nuclei in the tumor microenvironment. With clear pharmacological action, it has lower clinical trial risk and higher success rate than similar innovative drugs. 

On July 28, 2023, an agreement on intellectual property transfer was reached with a Tianjin innovative drug R&D company for the innovative anti-tumor nanomedicine “Nano cisplatin”, marking the successful commercialization of the achievement. It officially hits the market and is used for clinical purposes. The commercialization of this scientific research achievement is also a case in which the College of Pharmacy of Nankai University promotes commercialization through exhibition.

From October 11 to November 23, 2022, the College of Pharmacy organized a one-month exhibition for the commercialization of Nankai University’s biomedical science and technology achievements at Tianjin Scientific and Technological Achievements Exhibition and Trading Operation Center. The nano-cisplatin innovative drug, as one of the achievements for exhibition, was commercialized after several rounds of exchanges, and the video showing the achievement was recorded for the High-technology Commercialization Forum for targeted promotion to the industry and investors. It reached cooperation with a leading domestic innovative drug enterprise in this field and signed a technical contract.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)