Volociximab in cancer

Introduction: Volociximab is a first-in-class chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets alpha 5 beta 1 integrin. Preclinical studies have shown the ability of volociximab to inhibit tumor neoangiogenesis by blocking the interaction between alpha 5 beta 1 and fibronectin. Volociximab's safety profile, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have been established. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating its efficacy in the treatment of different types of solid tumors as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy. In this review we focus on the biological effect of volociximab and results of completed clinical trials. Areas covered: This review summarizes the structures and functions of integrin alpha 5 beta 1 and its ligand fibronectin, provides an overview of the early development of volociximab, a targeted monoclonal antibody that specifically binds and inhibits activation of integrin alpha 5 beta 1, and discusses the relevant data from pre-clinical and clinical studies. Expert opinion: Volociximab has been well tolerated as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. It has shown promising activity in different types of cancer. Randomized trials are required to validate those early results.