Last reviewed 2026-04-20 · How we verify

Esquinone (CARBOQUONE)

Phase 2 active Small molecule

Esquinone (generic name: CARBOQUONE) is a carboquone drug. It is currently in Phase 2 development.

Esquinone works by inhibiting DNA synthesis, which is essential for cell growth and division.

Esquinone, also known as carboquone, is a small molecule drug in the carboquone class. Its target and exact mechanism of action are unknown, but it is believed to work by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Esquinone is not FDA-approved for any indications, and its commercial status, including patent and generic availability, is unclear. Key safety considerations are not well-documented due to its lack of FDA approval. Further research is needed to fully understand its effects and potential uses.

Likelihood of approval

13.3% vs 15.3% industry baseline

If approved by FDA: likely 2031–2034

Steps remaining: Phase 3 → NDA/BLA submission

Confidence: Medium

Why this estimate

Baseline phase 2 → approval rate +15.3pp
Industry-wide phase 2 drugs reach approval ~15.3% of the time (BIO/Informa 2023 industry benchmark across all therapeutic areas).
Oncology Phase 2 attrition -2.0pp
Oncology drugs have higher Phase 2-to-Phase 3 attrition than average — many fail to show OS benefit in larger studies.

Predicted approval windows by jurisdiction (conditional on FDA approval)

Regulator	Country	Likely year	Lag vs FDA
FDA	US	2031–2034	—
EMA	EU	2032–2035	+0.7 yr
MHRA	GB	2032–2035	+0.7 yr
Health Canada	CA	2032–2036	+0.9 yr
TGA	AU	2032–2036	+1.2 yr
PMDA	JP	2032–2036	+1.5 yr
NMPA	CN	2033–2037	+2.3 yr
MFDS	KR	2032–2036	+1.4 yr
CDSCO	IN	2032–2037	+1.8 yr
ANVISA	BR	2033–2037	+2.3 yr

Hover any row for the lag rationale. Lag estimates are reduced when the drug has FDA Breakthrough or EMA PRIME designation (sponsors file globally in parallel).

Estimate based on the BIO/Informa industry phase transition rates plus per-drug modifiers for therapeutic area, sponsor type, FDA designations, mechanism, and trial design. Per-jurisdiction lags from Tufts CSDD international approval studies. Not investment, clinical or regulatory advice. Methodology: /methodology#likelihood.

At a glance

Generic name	CARBOQUONE
Drug class	carboquone
Modality	Small molecule
Therapeutic area	Oncology
Phase	Phase 2

Mechanism of action

Think of it like a roadblock for cells to make copies of their DNA. This can help slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells, but it can also affect healthy cells. As a result, the body may experience side effects like fatigue, nausea, and hair loss.

Approved indications

No approved indications tracked.

Common side effects

No common side effects on file.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

Esquinone CI brief — competitive landscape report
Esquinone updates RSS · CI watch RSS

Frequently asked questions about Esquinone

What is Esquinone?

Esquinone (CARBOQUONE) is a carboquone drug.

How does Esquinone work?

Esquinone works by inhibiting DNA synthesis, which is essential for cell growth and division.

What is the generic name of Esquinone?

CARBOQUONE is the generic (nonproprietary) name of Esquinone.

What drug class is Esquinone in?

Esquinone belongs to the carboquone class. See all carboquone drugs at /class/carboquone.

What development phase is Esquinone in?

Esquinone is in Phase 2.

Drug class: All carboquone drugs
Therapeutic area: All drugs in Oncology

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing