Bleomycin sulfate
[CAS# 9041-93-4]

Identification

• Classification: API >> Antineoplastic agents >> Antibiotic antineoplastic agents
• Name: Bleomycin sulfate
• Synonyms: 3-[[2-[2-[2-[2-[4-[2-[6-Amino-2-[1-(2-amino-2-carbamoyl-ethyl)amino-2-carbamoyl-ethyl]-5-methyl-pyrimidin-4-yl]carbonylamino-3-[3-[4-carbamoyloxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyran-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyran-2-yl]oxy-3-(3H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoyl]amino-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-pentanoyl]amino-3-hydroxy-butanoyl]aminoethyl]-1,3-thiazol-4-yl]-1,3-thiazol-4-yl]carbonylamino]propyl-dimethyl-sulfonium hydrogen sulfate
• Molecular Formula: C₅₅H₈₄N₁₇O₂₁S₃.HSO₄
• Molecular Weight: 1512.62
• CAS Registry Number: 9041-93-4
• EC Number: 232-925-2
• SMILES: CC1C(=NC(=NC=1N)[C@H](CC(N)=O)NC[C@H](N)C(N)=O)C(=O)N[C@@H](C(O[C@@H]1O[C@@H](CO)[C@@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@@H]1O[C@H]1O[C@H](CO)[C@@H](O)[C@H](OC(N)=O)[C@@H]1O)C1=CNC=N1)C(=O)N[C@H](C)[C@@H](O)[C@H](C)C(=O)N[C@@H]([C@@H](C)O)C(=O)NCCC1=NC(=CS1)C1=NC(=CS1)C(=O)NCCC[S+](C)C.[O-]S(O)(=O)=O

Safety Data

• Hazard Symbols: GHS08 Danger
• Risk Statements: H340-H351-H361
• Safety Statements: P203-P280-P318-P405-P501

Hazard Classification

Hazard	Class	Category Code	Hazard Statement
Germ cell mutagenicity	Muta.	1B	H340
Carcinogenicity	Carc.	2	H351
Reproductive toxicity	Repr.	2	H361
Reproductive toxicity	Repr.	1B	H360
Carcinogenicity	Carc.	1B	H350
Skin sensitization	Skin Sens.	1	H317
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	3	H301
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	3	H331
Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure	STOT SE	2	H371
Eye irritation	Eye Irrit.	2	H319
Skin irritation	Skin Irrit.	2	H315
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	3	H311
Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure	STOT SE	3	H335
Respiratory sensitization	Resp. Sens.	1	H334

Discovery and Applications

Bleomycin sulfate, a glycopeptide antibiotic, was discovered in the 1960s by scientists at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. It was isolated from Streptomyces verticillus, a soil bacterium found to produce a complex mixture of glycopeptide antibiotics. Bleomycin was identified as a potent anticancer agent with unique mechanisms of action, making it a valuable addition to the arsenal of chemotherapy drugs.

Bleomycin sulfate is commonly used in combination chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma and certain types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is particularly effective in the treatment of early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma and as part of multi-agent chemotherapy protocols for advanced-stage disease. Bleomycin's mechanism of action involves inducing DNA strand breaks and inhibiting DNA synthesis, leading to cell death in rapidly dividing cancer cells. Bleomycin sulfate is an essential component of chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of testicular cancer, including both seminomas and non-seminomas. When used in combination with other cytotoxic agents such as cisplatin and etoposide, bleomycin helps achieve high rates of remission and cure in patients with early-stage and metastatic testicular cancer. It is often administered as part of the BEP regimen (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin). Bleomycin sulfate is effective in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, as well as other malignancies arising from epithelial tissues such as head and neck cancers and cervical cancer. Its ability to induce DNA damage and apoptosis in cancer cells makes it a valuable therapeutic option. Bleomycin sulfate is also utilized in dermatology for the treatment of various dermatologic conditions, including warts, molluscum contagiosum, and cutaneous malignancies such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

References

1978. Bleomycin pharmacokinetics in man. I. Intravenous administration. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 1(3).
DOI: 10.1007/bf00253118

2024. Bleomycin induces senescence and repression of DNA repair via downregulation of Rad51. Molecular Medicine, 30(1).
DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00821-y

2024. Inhalation of itraconazole mitigates bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis via regulating SPP1 and C3 signaling pathway pivotal in the interaction between phagocytic macrophages and diseased fibroblasts. Journal of Translational Medicine, 22(1).
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05895-0