Ixabepilone, a novel epothilone analog in the treatment of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Natural epothilones and their analogs promote tumor cell death by binding to tubulin and stabilizing microtubules, causing cell death. Ixabepilone (BMS-247550, Ixempra) is an epothilone analog that optimizes the properties naturally observed with epothilone B.


OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the results achieved by ixabepilone in metastatic breast cancer.


METHODS
A PubMed search was performed to provide an extensive review of all published data on ixabepilone, in addition to all data reported from international congresses, from 2003 to 2007.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a clear need for new agents active against resistant metastatic breast cancer and ixabepilone might be a welcome new compound in this situation.
Pivot
Xavier
X
Oncologie Médicale, CHU J Minjoz, 25000 Besançon, France. xavier.pivot@univ-fcomte.fr
Villanueva
Christian
C
Chaigneau
Loïc
L
Nguyen
Thierry
T
Demarchi
Martin
M
Maurina
Tristan
T
Stein
Ulrich
U
Borg
Christophe
C
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D034261:Epothilones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D034261:Epothilones; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; C430592:ixabepilone