Despite the widespread use of platinum drugs in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), due to the heavy side effects and to intrinsic or acquired Pt resistance, new and more efficient drugs are urgently needed. Starting from the encouraging results obtained for the complex PtI2(DACH), we summarise here our recent advances, reporting data on the synthesis and the chemical and biological features of two oxaliplatin analogues i.e. PtBr2(DACH) and PtCl2(DACH). The comparative approach of these studies reveals how these analogues possess interesting and differential pharmacological properties as well as some peculiar features that may be conveniently exploited to shed light in the mechanistic aspects involved in the pharmacological action of the parent drug oxaliplatin. Furthermore, these findings may inspire the design of more effective Pt-based anticancer drugs to be used in CRC treatment
