CLINICAL-STUDIES WITH GRANISETRON, A NEW 5-HT3 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED EMESIS

Granisetron (BRL 43694A) is a novel, selective 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist developed for the prophylaxis and treatment of cytostatic drug-induced emesis. After a brief review of the preclinical evaluation of granisetron the clinical findings with this novel compound are summarised. From the data of large randomised trials one can conclude that granisetron is an active antiemetic, both as a prophylactic and an intervention agent, to an extent which is superior or at least equal to the best available antiemetic combination regimens, having a major efficacy ranging from 74 to 92%. Granisetron may be given as a single, 5-min infusion before chemotherapy and is thus more convenient to administer than many antiemetic regimens. The adverse event profile of granisetron is favourable with a wide therapeutic margin. The only consistent side-effects attributable to granisetron are headache in about 14% of the patients and constipation in about 4% of the patients. Headache induced by granisetron was generally mild and resolved spontaneously or was promptly relieved with standard analgesics. No extrapyramidal side-effects were observed with granisetron.