History of the development of DOXIL®

Abstract

Within the area of anti-tumor agent (i.e., cytotoxic drug) drug delivery systems research, one of the most promising approaches is the optimization of the pharmacokinetic properties of well-known anti-tumor agents by making modifications to the formulation. DOXIL®, a formulation of doxorubicin encapsulated in liposomes and coated with methoxypolyethylene glycol, increases the length of time the drug is in circulation and enhances localized delivery of the drug to the tumor and thus contributes to an improved toxicity profile over conventional doxorubicin. In this article, we summarize the development history of and clinical data reported for DOXIL® while focusing on recurrent ovarian cancer.