Aflibercept (AVE0005): an alternative strategy for inhibiting tumour angiogenesis by vascular endothelial growth factors

Abstract

Background: Aberrant angiogenesis is a landmark feature in cancer, which is important for proliferation, growth and metastasis, and is mediated by various pro-angiogenic factors. The VEGF pathway is one of the most important and best-studied angiogenic pathways. Inhibition of this pathway may provide clinical benefits to cancer patients. Objectives: Strategies to inhibit the VEGF pathway, including antibodies to VEGF, antibodies to the extracellular domain of VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2, decoy receptors for VEGF and tyrosine kinase inhibitors of VEGFRs, are summarized. Methods: This review outlines and compares the latest development of these strategies, with emphasis on aflibercept, a novel decoy fusion protein of domain 2 of VEGFR-1 and domain 3 of VEGFR-2 with the Fc fragment of IgG1. Results: Aflibercept was shown to have early clinical activity. Multiple studies are ongoing to determine the clinical benefits of aflibercept in cancer patients.

Keywords::

• aflibercept (VEGF trap)
• angiogenesis
• cancer
• vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

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