The discovery of new metal-based antitumor drugs, whether cisplatin derivs. or those based on other metals, has been largely based on cell viability assays (IC50 values) and compds. that bind to DNA. This approach has been applied for more than 30 years during which time very few new drugs have entered clin. use. In this article we discuss what the future holds for metal-based drugs, in particular anti-metastasis drugs, in these enlightened times of the post genomic era.