prinomastat

Prinomastat is a synthetic hydroxamic acid derivative and a selective, orally active inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), specifically MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-13, and MMP-14. By inhibiting these enzymes, prinomastat prevents the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins—a process critical for tumor invasion and metastasis—and inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth. Prinomastat has demonstrated antineoplastic activity in preclinical models of colon, breast, lung cancer as well as melanoma and glioma. It crosses the blood-brain barrier due to its lipophilic nature. Developed initially by Agouron Pharmaceuticals and later acquired by Pfizer, prinomastat advanced to Phase III clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with chemotherapy but did not show improved outcomes over standard therapy; development was subsequently terminated for this indication.