title: Paclitaxel poliglumex for ovarian cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite an 80% initial response rate to the standard primary regimen of carboplatin and paclitaxel, most women with ovarian cancer will experience recurrence with incurable disease within five years and will be treated with several successive palliative regimens. Consequently, a significant need exists for chemotherapeutic agents, which are not only clinically efficacious, but have acceptable side-effect profiles. Paclitaxel poliglumex (PPX) is a recently developed taxane in which paclitaxel is conjugated to poly(l-glutamic acid), which renders it water soluble, reduces hypersensitivity reactions and preferentially targets it to the tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review covers pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data and key Phase I and II clinical trial results in ovarian cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While PPX is active in ovarian cancer, it is unclear at present whether it offers significant benefit in terms of its side-effect profile or outcomes over a standard taxane-based regimen as first-line therapy, or what role it will have in maintenance therapy as studies are ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Oncology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Irving Pavilion, 161 Fort Washington Ave., 8th Floor, Room 8-837, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Vijaya L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Galic
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Sharyn N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Herzog
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012995:Solubility; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid; D017239:Paclitaxel; C509139:paclitaxel poliglumex