Evaluation of the Overall Survival of Meclinertant Versus Placebo After a First Line Chemotherapy With Cisplatin + Etoposide

Inclusion Criteria:

* Pathological diagnosis: Histologically or cytologically proven SCLC.
* Disease stage: extensive stage
* Measurable disease by the RECIST criteria is required. Lesions that are present in previously irradiated area are non-measurable unless they have appeared or progressed since completion of the radiation.
* Radiotherapy, if applicable, must have been completed at least 4 weeks before treatment under this protocol and the subject must have recovered from any acute toxicities of radiation.
* Recovered from any surgical procedure(s).
* Calculated creatinine clearance \> 55 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula: Cr Cl in ml/min = (140-age) X (weight in kg) X (1.0 for men or 0.85 for women) / (72 X serum Cr in mg/dl).
* Total bilirubin \< two times the upper limit of the normal range at the institution and SGOT/AST \< two times the upper limit of normal unless liver metastases are present.
* ANC \> 1.5 x 109/L and platelet count \> 100 x 109/L.
* Age \>18 years.
* Karnofsky Performance Status \> 70% .
* Subjects with no prior malignancy, or subjects with cured malignancies other than SCLC if: a) they are alive without disease recurrence for at least 5 years from the date of pathological diagnosis, and b) clinical expectation of disease recurrence is \< 5% as documented in the medical record by the responsible physician, and c) they have not received any platinum-based therapy. Subjects with basal cell carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix may be eligible if adequately treated and clinical expectation of disease recurrence is \< 5% as documented in the medical record by the responsible physician.
* Infertile subjects or fertile subjects who use a medically acceptable contraceptive throughout the treatment period and for 3 months following cessation of treatment. Women of childbearing potential must have documentation of a negative, serum HCG pregnancy test. Subjects must be made aware, before entering this trial, of the risk in becoming pregnant or in fathering children.
* Signed written informed consent (approved by the Ethics Committee) obtained prior to study entry.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Limited disease.
* Symptomatic brain metastases: a patient with brain and/or leptomeningeal metastases on computer tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan may be included only if he/she is asymptomatic on neurologic exam and is not receiving corticosteroid therapy to control symptoms.
* Concurrent active cancer, including cancer stable on adjuvant therapy.
* Prior immunotherapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy for SCLC.
* Radiotherapy: Prior radiation to non-symptomatic or non-life-threatening sites.Prior radiation therapy to all potential indicator lesions. Prior radiation therapy to some but not all indicator lesions is allowed.
* Class III or IV congestive heart failure according to the New York Heart Association Classification.
* History of allergic reactions to appropriate diuretics or antiemetics (e.g., 5-HT3 antagonists) to be administered in conjunction with protocol-directed chemotherapy.
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness.
* Lactating or pregnant women.
* Received any investigational drug within 30 days before beginning treatment with study drug.