Ixabepilone (INN; also known as azaepothilone B, codenamed BMS-247550) is a pharmaceutical drug developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as a chemotherapeutic medication for cancer.[2]
History
Ixabepilone is a semi-syntheticanalog of epothilone B, a natural chemical compound produced by Sorangium cellulosum.[3] The structural difference between Epothilone B and Ixabepilone consists of only a single atom oxygen-to-nitrogen subsitution that converts the ester into an amide. Epothilone B itself could not be developed as a pharmaceutical drug because of poor metabolic stability and pharmacokinetics.[4] Ixabepilone was designed through medicinal chemistry to improve upon these properties.[4]
Pharmacology
Much like Taxol, Ixabepilone acts to stabilize microtubules.[5][6][7]
It is highly potent, capable of damaging cancer cells in very low concentrations, and retains activity in cases where tumor cells are insensitive to taxane type drugs.[8]
Approval
On October 16, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ixabepilone for the treatment of aggressive metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer no longer responding to currently available chemotherapies.[9] In November 2008, the EMEA has refused a marketing authorisation for Ixabepilone.[10]
Ixabepilone is administered through injection, and is marketed under the trade name Ixempra.
Clinical uses
Ixabepilone, in combination with capecitabine, has demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer in patients after failure of an anthracycline and a taxane.[11]
It has been investigated for use in treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.[12]
In pancreatic cancer phase two trial it showed some promising results (used alone). Combination therapy trials are ongoing.[8]
^Lopus M, Smiyun G, Miller H, Oroudjev E, Wilson L, Jordan MA (November 2015). "Mechanism of action of ixabepilone and its interactions with the βIII-tubulin isotype". Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology. 76 (5): 1013–1024. doi:10.1007/s00280-015-2863-z. PMID26416565. S2CID1842156.
^Denduluri N, Swain SM (March 2008). "Ixabepilone for the treatment of solid tumors: a review of clinical data". Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs. 17 (3): 423–435. doi:10.1517/13543784.17.3.423. PMID18321240. S2CID71169099.
^Goodin S (November 2008). "Ixabepilone: a novel microtubule-stabilizing agent for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer". American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 65 (21): 2017–2026. doi:10.2146/ajhp070628. PMID18945860.