Table 2.
Comparison of Taxol, polyglumex and Abraxane.
| Characteristic | Taxol | PPX (polyglumex) | Abraxane (albumin nanospheres) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Requires solubilizing agent (Cremophor, alcohol) | Water soluble | Water soluble |
| Administration | 3–24 h infusions with routine premedications | 10–20 min infusion. No premedication | Intravenous infusion for 30 min. No premedication required |
| Systemic exposure | High exposure | Reduced Cmax. Gradual drug release from inactive drug conjugate | Reduced Cmax, minimize systemic exposure |
| Pharmacokinetics | Short elimination half-life (6 h) | Prolonged distribution phase and long terminal elimination half-life (130 h) | Gradual drug release, prolonged elimination half-life (27 h) |
| Tumor selectivity | No | Passive tumor accumulation, evade MDR efflux pump by pinocytotic uptake | High intra-tumor concentration facilitated by albumin-receptor mediated endocytosis |
PPX: paclitaxel polyglumex; MDR: multidrug resistance.