Introduction Nivolumab is an anticancer immunotherapy marketed under the brand name Opdivo. Pharmacologically, nivolumab is a programmed death receptor-1 blocking antibody, commonly called a PD-1 inhibitor or immune checkpoint inhibitor. Cancer cells can escape immune destruction by activating inhibitory pathways that suppress T-cell function. One of the most important immune escape pathways is the PD-1/PD-L1 … Read more
Introduction Teclistamab is an anticancer immunotherapy marketed under the brand name Tecvayli. Pharmacologically, teclistamab-cqyv is a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen-directed CD3 T-cell engager used in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma-cell disorder. In this disease, abnormal plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow and produce monoclonal immunoglobulin or light chains. … Read more
Introduction Rybrevant is the brand name of amivantamab-vmjw, an anticancer biologic used in selected patients with non-small cell lung cancer, commonly abbreviated as NSCLC. Pharmacologically, Rybrevant is a bispecific antibody directed against two important receptor targets: epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, and MET receptor. NSCLC is a major type of lung cancer. In some … Read more
Introduction Apalutamide is an oral targeted anticancer drug marketed under the brand name Erleada. Pharmacologically, apalutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor used in prostate cancer. Prostate cancer growth is often driven by androgen signaling. Androgens such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone bind to androgen receptors inside prostate cancer cells. Once activated, androgen receptors move into the … Read more
Introduction Orgovyx is the brand name of relugolix, an oral hormonal anticancer drug used in adult patients with advanced prostate cancer. Pharmacologically, Orgovyx is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist, also called a GnRH receptor antagonist or LHRH receptor antagonist. Prostate cancer growth is commonly driven by androgen signaling, especially testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Testosterone is mainly … Read more
Introduction Lurbinectedin is an intravenous anticancer drug marketed under the brand name Zepzelca. It belongs to the class of alkylating antineoplastic agents and is mainly used in small cell lung cancer, a highly aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer that often responds initially to platinum-based chemotherapy but commonly relapses. Lurbinectedin is pharmacologically important because it targets DNA … Read more
Introduction Ibrance is the brand name of palbociclib, an oral targeted anticancer drug belonging to the class of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors, commonly called CDK4/6 inhibitors. It is mainly used in hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Ibrance is pharmacologically important because it targets a key … Read more
Introduction Dasatinib is an oral targeted anticancer drug belonging to the class of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. It is best known by the brand name Sprycel and is mainly used in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias, especially chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The Philadelphia chromosome results from a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, … Read more
Introduction Everolimus is an oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, commonly called an mTOR inhibitor. It is used as an anticancer drug, immunosuppressant, and targeted therapy in selected genetic and proliferative disorders. It is marketed under different brand names depending on indication, such as Afinitor for oncology and tuberous sclerosis complex-related conditions, and Zortress for … Read more
Introduction Kisqali is the brand name of ribociclib, an oral targeted anticancer drug used in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. It belongs to the class of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors, commonly called CDK4/6 inhibitors. Kisqali is important in oncology pharmacology because it targets the cell cycle machinery that allows cancer cells to divide … Read more
