Obatoclax is an inhibitor of the Bcl-2 family of proteins.[5] This inhibition induces apoptosis in cancer cells, preventing tumor growth. Solubility has been an issue in the development of the drug.[6]
^Langer, Corey J.; Albert, Istvan; Ross, Helen J.; Kovacs, Peter; Blakely, L. Johnetta; Pajkos, Gabor; Somfay, Attila; Zatloukal, Petr; Kazarnowicz, Andrzej; Moezi, Mehdi M.; Schreeder, Marshall T.; Schnyder, Judy; Ao-Baslock, Ada; Pathak, Ashutosh K.; Berger, Mark S. (2014). "Randomized phase II study of carboplatin and etoposide with or without obatoclax mesylate in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer". Lung Cancer. 85 (3): 420–8. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2014.05.003. PMID24997137.
^Arellano, Martha L.; Borthakur, Gautam; Berger, Mark; Luer, Jill; Raza, Azra (2014). "A Phase II, Multicenter, Open-Label Study of Obatoclax Mesylate in Patients with Previously Untreated Myelodysplastic Syndromes with Anemia or Thrombocytopenia". Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia. 14 (6): 534–9. doi:10.1016/j.clml.2014.04.007. PMID25052051.
^Clinical trial number NCT01563601 for "Efficacy and Safety of Obatoclax Mesylate in Combination With Carboplatin and Etoposide Compared With Carboplatin and Etoposide Alone in Chemotherapy-Naive Patients With Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer" at ClinicalTrials.gov