title: EGFR-targeting therapy as an evolving concept: learning from nimotuzumab clinical development.
abstract: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have been extensively evaluated in the clinic for different tumor localizations and using different EGFR-targeting products, either registered or still in clinical development. Nonetheless, there still is a long way to go to optimize the clinical benefit from EGFR-targeted therapies. In this article we briefly discuss on current paradigms guiding the use of EGFR-targeting agents in the clinic, and on new emergent concepts. The discussion is largely based on experiences from the clinical development of the monoclonal antibody nimotuzumab, which has shown a quite particular clinical profile, characterized by a very low toxicity. In order to optimize the design of EGFR-targeting therapies, clinical researchers should take into account the interconnection between the EGFR pathway and other cellular pathways. Thus, clinical trials need to incorporate more translational research.
authors.affiliation: Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana, Cuba; Biotech Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, China. rolando@cim.sld.cu.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana, Cuba; Biotech Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, China.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moreno
keywords: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); nimotuzumab; oncogene addiction; targeted therapy