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. 2009 Nov 21;119(2):157–175. doi: 10.1007/s00401-009-0614-0

Table 2.

Approved and experimental drugs for glioblastoma

Drug name Mode of action Status Notes
Lomustine Alkylating agent Marketed
Carmustine Alkylating agent Marketed Also sold as slow-release polymeric wafer system under Gliadel®
Temozolomide Alkylating agent Marketed Prodrug, indicated for newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme
Bevacizumab (Avastin) Anti-VEGF Approved in 2009
Nimotuzumab Anti-EGFR Phase 3
TM601 Tumor cell binder, antiangiogenic Phase 3 planned Synthetic form of the scorpion venom peptide chlorotoxin; also as radiolabelled formulations
MPC-6827 (Azixa) Microtubule-destabilizing agent Phase 2
CDX-110 EGFRvIII vaccine Phase 2
Cotara 131I-radiolabelled mAb conjugate Phase 2
XL184 RTK inhibitor Phase 2 Targets Met, VEGFR2, Kit, Flt-3 and Tie-2
TLN-4601 Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) ligand Phase 2 Inhibitor of the RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway
CYT997 Vascular targeting agent and tubulin inhibitor Phase 2
BSI-201 PARP-1 inhibitor Phase 2
Banoxantrone (AQ4 N) Topoisomerase inhibitor and DNA intercalator Phase 2 Prodrug, activated by hypoxia
ICT-121 CD133 peptide vaccine Phase 1 Trial planned 2010
ICT-107 Dendritic cell-based vaccine Phase 1 Uses patient-derived, specifically primed dendritic cells
MP-470 Multiple TRKi and Rad51 DNA repair inhibitor Phase 1

BioWorld® Today (AHC Media LLC), Thomson Pharma® IDdb, Pharmaprojects, Company and NIH websites

Experimental treatments are usually tested in combination with approved therapies

This table shows that more recently developed compounds are targeting specific signaling pathways rather than the general DNA damaging effect of the earlier drugs