Plitidepsin, also known as dehydrodidemnin B and sold under the brand name Aplidin, is a chemical compound extracted from the Ascidiacea Aplidium albicans.
Medical uses
In Australia, plitidepsin, in combination with
dexamethasone, is
indicated for the treatment of people with relapsed and refractory
multiple myeloma.
Pharmacological activity
Plitidepsin exhibits
Antineoplastic,
Antiviral drug and immunosuppressive activities. It shows promise in shrinking tumors in pancreatic, stomach, bladder, and prostate cancers.
Plitidepsin inhibits the human protein eEF1A which has potential interactions with multiple coronavirus proteins. Plitidepsin possesses antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and in an in vivo mouse model.
Society and culture
Legal status
In July 2003, plitidepsin was granted
orphan drug status by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
In December 2017, the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a negative opinion, recommending the refusal of the marketing authorization for the treatment of
multiple myeloma.
After a re-examination of the opinion, the refusal of the marketing authorization was confirmed in March 2018.
The CHMP is of the opinion that the benefits of Aplidin do not outweigh its risks.
In October 2020, the General Court upheld PharmaMar's appeal and annulled the decision refusing marketing authorization for Aplidin, and the European Commission then returned the application for Aplidin to the EMA.
In July 2025, PharmaMar withdrew its application for a marketing authorization of Aplidin for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Plitidepsin was approved for medical used in Australia in December 2018.
Further reading
