&NA;Marimastat is a second generation anticancer drug that is being developed with British Biotech in Europe and North America. It is an orally active metalloprotease inhibitor of the same class as batimastat. Marimastat also has collagenase and angiogenesis inhibiting properties.Marimastat is in pivotal phase III trials in glioblastoma (recruitment complete), pancreatic (n = 400, recruitment complete), small cell lung (recruitment complete), non-small-cell lung (n = 500), gastric (n = 360, recruitment complete) and ovarian cancers. In these trials marimastat is being compared with standard chemotherapy or placebo. British Biotech will be continuing the pancreatic cancer trial following the unauthorised unblinding of the trial. In addition, marimastat is in a phase III trial in pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine (recruitment phase complete), and in a phase III ovarian cancer trial in combination with carboplatin. A further trial is underway for the adjuvant therapy of patients who have had their pancreatic cancer removed by surgery (n = 500). Two additional phase III trials are being conducted by external cooperative oncology groups in metastatic breast cancer (US) and small cell lung cancer (Europe and Canada). Discussions are underway to increase patient numbers in the small-cell lung cancer trial from 360 to 540.British Biotech is seeking a strategic alliance to advance development of marimastat and assist in obtaining regulatory approval and commercialisation in the USA and Europe.Marimastat is licensed to Tanabe Seiyaku in Japan, where phase II clinical trials are underway for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer and lung cancer, further phase II trials in other tumour types are planned. The commencement of phase II trials in Japan resulted in a milestone payment to British Biotech from Tanabe.