Figitumumab

Abstract

The insulin-like growth factor system plays a key role in oncogenic transformation and cancer progression, and it is the one of the important targets of cancer therapy. Figitumumab (CP-751, 871) is a fully human immunoglobulin G2 monoclonal antibody targeting the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. Figitumumab is generally a well-tolerated drug: the most common adverse events were hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, fatigue and liver injury, and there were no dose limiting toxicities identified in single-agent phase I trials. Single-agent activity has been noted in Ewing's sarcoma, and the result of a recent phase II trial for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer suggested that figitumumab showed additional efficacy in combination with platinum doublets. A phase III trial for the treatment of chemotherapy- naïve non-small cell lung cancer (non adenocarcinoma) was terminated because of an apparent imbalance of serious adverse events. However, a subset analysis based on bio-marker suggested that potential subsets expected to yield the benefits of figitumumab were identifiable. Further research of the biomarker to predict the efficacy and safety is necessary in the development of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor inhibitors.