Work

Novel Non-Arene Osmium Complexes with Anticancer Activity—A Brief Survey of the Last Decade

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Cancer ranks as a major cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe, notably in economically developed regions, and its incidence is predicted to rise in the coming decades. Metal-based compounds represent a particularly promising class of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer. Following the success of platinum in cancer therapy, attention soon turned to other transition metals, particularly the platinum group metals such as ruthenium and palladium. Despite the high anticancer efficacy of many of its compounds, osmium remained one of the least investigated of these metals for a long time, partly due to concerns about its toxicity. However, there has been a recent resurgence in the preparation and evaluation of osmium complexes, which exhibit high structural variability and demonstrate promising anticancer activity. The present review aims to survey recent developments in this exciting field, focusing on osmium complexes of the non-arene type reported during the last decade.

Source: Crystals

DOI: 10.3390/cryst16020094

Authors: Ladislav Habala, Andrej Džongov

Institution: Comenius University Bratislava

Language: English

Topic: Metal complexes synthesis and properties

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534