Published in:
01-12-2006 | Adis Drug Profile
Sunitinib
Published in: Drugs | Issue 17/2006
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▴ Sunitinib and its active metabolite (SU012662) are selective inhibitors of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases associated with tumour growth and angiogenesis.
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▴ The clinical efficacy of oral sunitinib has been demonstrated in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). In a phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial in patients with metastatic and/or unresectable GIST following unsuccessful imatinib therapy, the median time to tumour progression and median progression-free survival time were ≥4-fold longer in patients receiving sunitinib 50 mg/day than in those receiving placebo, in 6-week cycles consisting of 4 weeks of treatment followed by a 2-week rest period.
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▴ Sunitinib also exhibited antitumour activity in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following unsuccessful cytokine therapy. In two multicentre, single-arm, phase II clinical trials in patients with cytokine-refractory metastatic RCC, partial responses were reported in 40% and 43% of patients receiving sunitinib 50 mg/day for 4 weeks followed by 2 weeks without treatment in 6-week cycles; 27% and 22% of patients achieved stable disease for ≥3 months.
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▴ Sunitinib was more effective than interferon-α as a first-line therapy in patients with metastatic RCC. In a large, well designed, phase III trial in previously untreated patients, progression-free survival was significantly longer in patients receiving sunitinib 50 mg/day in 6-week cycles (4 weeks of treatment followed by a 2-week rest period) compared with those receiving interferon-a 9MU three times weekly (47.3 vs 24.9 weeks).
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▴ In general, sunitinib was well tolerated in patients with GIST and RCC, with adverse events usually being of mild or moderate severity.