Discovery and Development of Bevacizumab, an Anti-Vegf Antibody for Treating Cancer

Key Points The idea that inhibiting tumour angiogenesis might be an effective anticancer strategy was proposed by Folkman over thirty years ago. A number of molecules involved in angiogenesis have now been identified, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an essential regulator of normal and pathological angiogenesis. This article overviews the biology of VEGF, and then focuses on the path from the identification of VEGF and the establishment of its key role in tumour angiogenesis to the clinical development of the humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab. Bevacizumab was approved by the FDA as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer in February 2004 — the first approval by the FDA of a therapeutic developed to target tumour angiogenesis.