Aflibercept--a decoy VEGF receptor.
Aflibercept (known as ziv-aflibercept in the USA and sold under the trade name Zaltrap®) is a human recombinant fusion protein with antiangiogenic effects that functions as a decoy receptor to bind vascular endothelial growth factors A and B and placental growth factor. Its unique mechanism of action with respect to other agents targeting angiogenesis led investigators to speculate that it may be more ubiquitously efficacious in tumors highly dependent on pathologic angiogenesis for their growth. Despite encouraging preclinical studies in various tumor types, aflibercept has not been proven efficacious in most later-phase clinical studies. In fact, its only currently held US Food and Drug Administration indication is in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan for those patients previously treated with an oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy regimen. Given aflibercept's toxicity profile and cost, further investigation is needed to better understand its mechanism of action and to discover predictive biomarkers for optimization of its appropriate use in treatment of cancer patients.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, A445A Starling Loving Hall, 320 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA, kristen.ciombor@osumc.edu.
Kristen K
KK
Ciombor
Jordan
J
Berlin
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor