Open Access

REVIEW

Use of the Naphthoquinone YM155 (Sepantronium Bromide) in the Treatment of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

by Dariimaa Ganbat^1,2, Bat-Erdene Jugder³, Lkhamaa Ganbat⁴, Miki Tomoeda⁵, Erdenetsogt Dungubat^2,6, Ambaga Miyegombo⁷, Gantsetseg Garmaa⁸, Yoshihisa Takahashi⁶, Ryuji Fukuzawa⁶, Ichiro Mori⁶, Takayuki Shiomi⁶, Akinori Nakata⁹, Yasuhiko Tomita^6,*

1 Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, 107-8402, Japan
2 Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulan-Bator, 14210, Mongolia
3 Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
4 Department of Administration, MCS Property, Ulan-Bator, 14200, Mongolia
5 Department of Rehabilitation, Kobe International University, Kobe, 658-0032, Japan
6 Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, 286-8686, Japan
7 New Medical University, Ulan-Bator, 18104, Mongolia
8 Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1085, Hungary
9 Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, 107-8402, Japan

* Corresponding Author: Yasuhiko Tomita. Email:

Oncologie 2022, 24(2), 195-225. https://doi.org/10.32604/oncologie.2022.022299

Received 03 March 2022; Accepted 03 May 2022; Issue published 29 June 2022

Abstract

Most cancer cells overexpress the anti-apoptotic protein survivin and display redox dysregulation originating from genotypic and phenotypic alterations. These disturbances contribute to the uncontrolled proliferation, invasion, and chemoresistance of cancer cells, yet they also represent a specific vulnerability that could be exploited therapeutically in selected tumors. YM155 (sepantronium bromide) is a naphthoquinone-containing imidazolebased compound that selectively inhibits survivin expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies in which YM155 was administered as monotherapy or combination therapy for patients with cancer. We assessed fully or partially reported clinical outcomes and pharmacological parameters, and further performed subgroup analysis based on tumor type and treatment regimen. Our comprehensive analysis, which included patients of many ethnicities, demonstrated that YM155 was effective as a monotherapy or combination therapy. Clinical benefits, including regression and/or stabilization of tumor progression and prolonged survival, were observed within a reasonable time after treatment initiation, and YM155 displayed good synergistic effects with combination drugs. YM155 appears to be effective against a wide range of tumor types and has an acceptable safety profile, with the main toxicities being decreased blood cell counts; fatigue/weakness; renal, hepatic, and/or cardiac issues; and electrolyte disturbance.

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