NCIt definition : A semisynthetic analog of Bleomycin, a mixture of several basic glycopeptide antineoplastic
antibiotics isolated from Streptomyces verticillus. Peplomycin forms complexes with
iron that reduce molecular oxygen to superoxide and hydroxyl radicals that cause single-
and double-stranded breaks in DNA. This agent appears to show greater antitumor activity
than bleomycin; its use is limited due to pulmonary toxicity. (NCI04);