Targeted delivery for breast cancer therapy: the history of nanoparticle-albumin-bound paclitaxel

Abstract

Importance of the field: Taxanes are agents for the treatment of breast cancer. Paclitaxel is hydrophobic, and available formulations require polyoxyethylated castor oil, Cremphor EL^® (CrEL) and an ethanol vehicle to allow parental administration. Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-P) is a CrEL-free formulation of paclitaxel. The human albumin-stabilized paclitaxel particles have a size of approximately 130 nm, which allows intravenous infusion without capillary blockage.

Areas covered in this review: Efficacy and safety of nab-P in breast cancer has been compared with paclitaxel and docetaxel in large Phase III and II trials. Additionally, the efficacy and safety of nab-P have been investigated in other single-arm clinical trials, in early and advanced disease.

What the reader will gain: Preclinical and clinical development of the drug across all clinical trials published so far, the approved clinical indications, the benefits of this taxane formulation and a look into the future with emphasis on the application in specific subtypes of breast cancer.

Take home message: nab-P has been approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in patients who have failed first-line treatment for metastatic disease and for whom standard, anthracycline-containing therapy is not indicated and represents one of most authoritative and sophisticated applications of nanotechnology in cancer treatment so far.

Keywords::

• breast cancer
• caveolin 1
• gp60
• metastatic disease
• nab-paclitaxel
• nanotechnology
• SPARC
• taxanes

Notes