Oxaliplatin is a coordination complex that is used in cancer chemotherapy. These platinum-based drugs are usually classified as alkylating agents, although they are not actually alkylating groups (they function by a similar mechanism).

Oxaliplatin was discovered in 1976 at Nagoya City University by Professor Yoshinori Kidani, who was granted U.S. Patent 4,169,846 in 1979. Oxaliplatin was subsequently in-licensed by Debiopharm and developed as an advanced colorectal cancer treatment. Debio licensed the drug to Sanofi-Aventis in 1994. Eloxatin gained European approval in 1996 (firstly in France) and approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002.

The compound features a square planar platinum(II) center. In contrast to cisplatin and carboplatin, oxaliplatin features the bidentate ligand 1,2-diaminocyclohexane in place of the two monodentate ammine ligands. It also features a bidentate oxalate group.

The cytotoxicity of platinum compounds is thought to result from inhibition of DNA synthesis in cancer cells. In vivo studies showed that Oxaliplatin has anti-tumor activity against colon carcinoma through its (non-targeted) cytotoxic effects.