Bevacizumab (Avastin), a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody for cancer therapy.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen in vitro and an angiogenic inducer in vivo. The tyrosine kinases Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and Flk-1/KDR (VEGFR-2) are high affinity VEGF receptors. VEGF plays an essential role in developmental angiogenesis and is important also for reproductive and bone angiogenesis. Substantial evidence also implicates VEGF as a mediator of pathological angiogenesis. Anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies and other VEGF inhibitors block the growth of several tumor cell lines in nude mice. Clinical trials with VEGF inhibitors in a variety of malignancies are ongoing. Recently, a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (bevacizumab; Avastin) has been approved by the FDA as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. Furthermore, VEGF is implicated in intraocular neovascularization associated with diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

• Authors: Napoleone Ferrara, Kenneth J Hillan, William Novotny
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 333 Issue 2 Pg. 328-35 (Jul 29 2005) ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15961063 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• Bevacizumab

Topics

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (administration & dosage)
• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antineoplastic Agents (administration & dosage)
• Bevacizumab
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Humans
• Neoplasms (blood supply, drug therapy, immunology, metabolism)
• Neovascularization, Pathologic (immunology, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (immunology, metabolism)