Biricodar. Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
Vertex is developing biricodar as a chemosensitizing agent designed to restore the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents in tumor multidrug resistance. By November 1998, phase II trials had commenced for biricodar, in combination with chemotherapy, for five common cancer indications: breast, ovarian, soft-tissue sarcomas, small cell lung cancer and prostate cancer. Phase II trials were ongoing in January 2002. By March 2000, Vertex was the sole developer of biricodar, as an agreement made in 1996 with BioChem Pharma (now Shire Pharmaceuticals), for the development and marketing of biricodar in Canada was terminated. Biricodar is the free base compound, which also has a citrate salt analog known as VX-710-3. Vertex has published three patents, WO-09615101, WO-09636630 and WO-09736869, disclosing derivatives of biricodar that are claimed for the treatment of multidrug resistant protein and P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistant tumors. In January 2002, a Banc of America analyst report forecast that biricodar had a 30% chance of reaching the market with a launch date in the second half of 2005, with peak sales estimated at $250 million.
Dey
Saibal
S
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA. sdey@usuhs.mil
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D011725:Pyridines; C106077:biricodar