Eribulin Mesylate

Eribulin mesylate, a nontaxane, completely synthetic microtubule inhibitor, has recently been approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration as third-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes. Eribulin is a synthetic analogue of halichondrin B, which inhibits microtubule polymerization by a mechanism distinct from other available antitubulin agents. Eribulin significantly increased overall survival (OS; median OS for the eribulin-treated group was 13.1 months versus 10.6 months for the group treated by investigator's choice) in a heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer population. Eribulin has a manageable side-effect profile, notably neutropenia and fatigue, and a relatively low incidence of peripheral neuropathy. The mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, preclinical antitumor activity, and clinical trials of eribulin in the metastatic breast cancer setting are reviewed here. Clin Cancer Res; 17(21); 6615-22. (C)2011 AACR.