Inhibition of Organ Invasion by the Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Batimastat (BB-94) in Two Human Colon Carcinoma Metastasis Models

Abstract The effect of the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor batimastat was evaluated in two human colorectal cancer metastasis models involving: ( a ) the liver-invasive tumor C170HM 2 and ( b ) the lung-invasive tumor AP5LV, both of which have been shown to express the M r 72,000 type IV collagenase. Batimastat at concentrations between 0.01 and 3.0 µg/ml had no direct cytotoxic effects on the in vitro growth of the cell lines. In the liver-invasive tumor model, batimastat administered i.p. from day 10 to termination of the therapy (day 39) at 40 mg/kg reduced both the mean number of liver tumors (35% of vehicle-treated control; P P P