Peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBRs, also named TSPO) are overexpressed in many tumor types, with the grade of TSPO overexpression correlating with the malignancy of the tumor. For this reason, TSPO-binding ligands have been widely explored as carriers for receptor-mediated drug delivery. In this paper we have selected a ligand with nanomolar affinity for TSPO, [2-(4-chlorophenyl)-8-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl]]-N,N-di-n-propyla cetamide (3), for preparing platinum adducts that are structural analogues to picoplatin, cis-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(2-picoline)] (AMD0473, 6), a platinum analogue currently in advanced clinical investigation. In vitro studies assessing receptor binding and cytotoxicity against human and rat glioma cells have shown that the new compounds cis-[PtX(2)(NH(3)){[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-8-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl ]-N,N-di-n-propylacetamidel}] (X = I,4; X = Cl, 5) keep high affinity and selectivity for TSPO (nanomolar concentration) and are as cytotoxic as cisplatin. Moreover, they appear to be equally active against sensitive and cisplatin-resistant A2780 cells. Similar to cisplatin, these compounds induce apoptosis but show a favorable 10- to 100-fold enhanced accumulation in the glioma cells.