There is a great deal of evidence indicating that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important for the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. VEGF plays an important role in angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and tumor growth, which are all factors that contribute to its attractiveness as a therapeutic target for anti-cancer therapies.
In 2004, bevacizumab (Avastin) gained FDA approval for specific types of cancer, and became the first antiangiogenic agent introduced to the market. It is a humanized monoclonal IgG antibody, and inhibits angiogenesis by binding and neutralizing VEGF-A. Bevacizumab is generally indicated for use in combination with different chemotherapy regimens which are specific to the type, severity, and stage of cancer. Bevacizumab was approved by Health Canada on March 24, 2010 and by the European Commission on April 21, 2021. There are also biosimilars of bevacizumab available, such as bevacizumab-awwb, bevacizumab-maly, and bevacizumab-adcd.
Interestingly, researchers have identified higher VEGF expression in patients with COVID-19, which may contribute to lung pathologies including acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS) and acute lung injury (ALI). As such, bevacizumab is being investigated for the treatment of lung complications associated with severe cases of COVID-19.
As a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, bevacizumab is used in several chemotherapy regimens to treat metastatic colorectal cancer; metastatic, unresectable, locally advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer; metastatic renal cell carcinoma; metastatic, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer; primary peritoneal cancer; epithelial ovarian cancer; fallopian tube cancer; breast cancer; and recurrent glioblastoma.
Interestingly, bevacizumab is currently under investigation for the treatment of COVID-19 complications including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute lung injury (ALI).
Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center, Anniston, Alabama, United States
Grand Rapids Clinical Oncology Program, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
NEA Baptist Clinic, Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States
Tennessee Oncology, PLLC, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Florida Cancer Specialists, Fort Myers, Florida, United States
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville, Georgia, United States
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
Sanofi-Aventis Administrative Office, Bridgewater, New Jersey, United States
Universitaetsspital-Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Novartis Investigative Site, Sleepy Hollow, New York, United States
Medical University Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Baylor College of Medicine - Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
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