Inlyta: VEGF-targeted treatment for refractory renal cell carcinoma

PHARMACOLOGY

Axitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1, 2 and 3. These receptors play a role in pathological angiogenesis, tumour growth and the metastatic progression of cancer.¹

CLINICAL STUDIES

The safety and efficacy of axitinib were assessed in a pivotal phase III trial (AXIS) involving 723 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Patients were randomised to receive either axitinib (n=361) or sorafenib (n=362) and evaluated for disease progression by investigator-blinded radiological assessment.²

In the intention-to-treat analysis, axitinib significantly extended progression-free survival (PFS) with a median average PFS of 6.7 months (95% CI 6.3–8.6) compared with 4.7 months (95% CI 4.6–5.6) for patients treated with sofarenib [HR=0.67, 95% CI 0.54–0.81; p<0.0001]. The objective response rate was 19% for axitinib and 9% for sorafenib (p=0.0001).²

The most common (≥20%) adverse effects observed with axitinib were diarrhoea, hypertension, fatigue, dysphonia, nausea, decreased appetite and hand–foot syndrome.¹

References

1. Inlyta Summary of Product Characteristics, September 2012.
2. Rini BI et al. Lancet 2011; 378: 1931–9.

View Inlyta drug record
 
Further information: Pfizer

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