Journal
EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DELIVERY
Volume 9, Issue 8, Pages 901-908Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1517/17425247.2012.694863
Keywords
cancer; drug delivery; drug targeting; folate receptor; leukemia
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Funding
- Div Of Engineering Education and Centers
- Directorate For Engineering [914790] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Introduction: Folate receptor-alpha (FR-alpha) has been established as a membrane marker for ovarian cancer. In addition, it is frequently overexpressed in other major types of epithelial tumors. FR-alpha-based tumor-targeted therapy and drug carriers have been an active area of laboratory research for more than 20 years. Recently, there has been a great increase in the effort to finally translate this promising technology into the clinic and bring FR-targeted therapeutics into the market. Areas covered: Two FR-targeted therapeutic agents have moved into Phase III clinical trials, the monoclonal antibody farletuzumab and the low molecular weight vintafolide, combined with etarfolatide as a companion imaging agent, representing two alternative strategies for targeting the FR. Expert opinion: Each of the two strategies has advantages and disadvantages. Identification of the best target patient population is likely critical to the ultimate success of FR-targeted agents in the clinic. A successful clinical strategy may require the integration between FR expression analysis and an optimal combination of FR-targeted therapy and standard chemotherapy. Advancement into Phase III trials and the ongoing clinical development of several additional folate conjugates are likely to usher in a new era of clinical translation and validation of FR-targeted imaging and therapeutic agents.
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